The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at a former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, who he said was politically dead until he brought him ‘back to life’.
Wike spoke yesterday at the special thanksgiving service organised by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhul, in Port Harcourt, according to his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
Wike who is also a former governor of Rivers State, described Odili as a sycophant who would praise any person in power for pecuniary gains.
Speaking at the Christmas ballad organised by him in honour of Governor Fubara and his family, Odili was quoted as saying the governor summoned an unusual fortitude to confront the quest by Wike to capture Rivers State “through ferocious, but unnecessary political war.”
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He said, “Governor Fubara confronted the challenge, prevented the quest by one man to capture the state as a private estate, emancipated Rivers people, steadied governance and made civil servants and Rivers people happier as it used to be.”
But reacting yesterday, Wike said it was unfortunate that somebody who was supposed to be seen as an elder statesman and father could reduce himself to a sycophant and trader.
The minister said he won’t be shocked if Odili goes ahead to arrange a “new wife” for the incumbent governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He said, “In 2007 after he left office, he couldn’t come near power in the state because Amaechi was the governor then. He was gone! Like somebody said that God will use someone to lift up someone. When I came in as governor in 2015, I won’t use the word resurrected, but I brought him back to life.
“Must you be a trader all the time? As governor for eight years, what else are you looking for?”, Wike queried.
The FCT minister said, “Between him and myself, who has turned Rivers State to his personal estate? His wife is a chairman of governing council, his daughter is a commissioner, his other daughter is a judge and he is the general overseer.
“Who has now turned Rivers State to his private estate? I am sure if care is not taken, if there is a chance, he can even arrange a marriage for the governor.
“It was his nephew, his late elder brother’s son who was recommended for commissioner. He took the slot and gave it to his own daughter. Someone who didn’t remember to stand for the son of his late elder brother, is that an elder statesman?”
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