Why Odili And I Fell Out – Wike Speaks

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, revealed on Tuesday about the strained political relationship with his former mentor and ex-Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

Speaking in a television interview, Wike said “there are some political differences” between Odili and himself.

He said; “As it is today, politically, we don’t have good relationship. We don’t work together. There are some political differences.

“For me, we have finished with this stage. It does not mean that in the next stage you will be in the same camp. No. He took a decision. I took a decision.”

Noting that he holds Odili in high esteem, Wike said the former governor remained his leader despite the political differences.

Responding to the support declared by some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, the FCT Minister described the said PDP leaders as “political vampires”, intent on sucking the state dry.

A PDP leader in Rivers State, Abiye Sekibo; ex-PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; ex-governorship aspirant, Celestine Omehia; and former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara; had last week declared support for Fubara and called on the President to caution Wike.

Wike described the quartet as expired politicians who are not worthy to be called “elder statesmen”.

According to him, he had kicked them out of the party, specifically noting that Secondus was no longer a member of the PDP, his suspension having been validated by the court.

“The other day, I saw a political conference organized by transactional politicians. Political vampires, political buccaneers”, he said of the recent outing of Secondus and others.

Reminded that those men are elder statesmen, Wike said: “Do you know who is called an elder statesman? An elder statesman is someone who must have integrity; who must not be here today and be there tomorrow.”

He described the situation as a classic example of political irony, noting that the same set of people who had refused to support Fubara in the lead up to the 2023 polls are now declaring support for him after the polls.

“Today, they are not only serving a boy but they are waiting for him on the road. Do they have integrity? The same people who said this governor was a neophyte, how can they bring themselves to support him?

They wrote a petition when this governor wanted to collect his certificate in PDP, they carried a rumour on how he became chairman and that he is being looked for by EFCC. They said he was not coming to PDP national secretariat but they were surprised that the governor went to the PDP secretariat.

“They are calling Nigerians to support Tinubu. That me, I am a selfish person. All of them were in power but what did they do for their people?”, he stated.