The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday revealed the reasons behind the rift between him and his godson, Governor Siminalaye Fubara of River State.
Wike, who debunked reports that the reason for the crisis was monetary, said it was about the preservation of his political structure in the state he governed for eight years.
Speaking when a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum visited him in his office as part of the efforts to resolve the crisis in his state, the minister said nobody can intimidate him.
Wike, who accused the governor of bringing political enemies into their government, noted that impeachment is not a military coup, but an issued provided for in the constitution.
He, however, said President Bola Tinubu has spoken with them as a father and they will see how far it will take them.
But the governor has downplayed the ongoing crisis, describing it as a disagreement between a father and his son which would soon be resolved.
Wike had during the interaction with the PDP governors said while he appreciated the intervention of the governors, he would not allow anyone to intimidate him either by using “thugs, or you say you are Ijaw. If I want to do something I will do it. Impeachment is not a military coup, impeachment is provided for under the constitution.”
“About the rumours of money this and that, all that is rubbish, I just left office how many months ago and I am the FCT minister, which money, but nobody can take away our political structure, no one. I have listened to them and for me you cannot work and people will begin to bring enemies, those who fought you, nobody does that.
“I hear they said I gave a limit of what he can do, I want 25 per cent; these are ridiculous. I am not a political ingrate, but don’t touch the political structure in Rivers State, I will not shut my eyes,” he said.
The minister also warned that he would not allow anyone to use propaganda against him without fighting back.
“My conscience is clear; nobody can rubbish me. I am not a person you can go to the social media and say all kinds of things and go free; so be careful I have the capacity to fight back,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, said the intervention of the president was apt and that the “towering crisis” would soon come to an end because of this intervention.
Bala, who was with Governors Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Agbu Kefas of Taraba, lauded Wike’s “maturity and your willingness to accommodate and swallow all the issues and make the state a peaceable place.”
Meanwhile, Daily Trust also gathered that the PDP governors will soon visit Rivers State to confer with Fubara as part of the efforts to bring the situation under control.
My problem with Wike, internal, will be resolved – Fubara
Similarly, Fubara has expressed optimism that the crisis between him and his political godfather would soon be resolved, describing it as an internal disagreement between a father and his son.
Speaking when the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, led a military delegation on a courtesy visit to the government house in Port Harcourt, Fubara said, “If we have an internal issue, it will be resolved and everything will go back to normal. There is nothing wrong if a father and a son have a problem if there is any problem, but I don’t think there is anything, whatever it is, we will definitely resolve the issue.”
Court stops impeachment move
Meanwhile, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Isiokpo Division has issued an interim order restraining the State House of Assembly and the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, from carrying out any action with respect to the impeachment of Governor Fubara.
Others also restrained in the suit filed by the governor are the Deputy Speaker, the Clerk of the House, and the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi.
The presiding judge, Justice Ben Whyte, who ordered that the status quo be maintained, pending the determination of the motion on notice, adjourned the suit to November 14.
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