A former Chief of Staff in Rivers State Government, Chief Tony Okocha, yesterday said ex-Governor Nyesom Wike made it possible for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to win the state in the last presidential poll.
He said APC leaders in the state are pleading with the President to concede the ministerial slot for the state to Wike.
He said Wike committed huge material and financial support to the poll for Tinubu to win.
Okocha, who spoke with reporters in Abuja, said without the influence of Wike, Obi could have swept the state.
He said,
“Neither my former boss, ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his group nor Sen. Magnus Abe and his group worked for Tinubu.
“What helped us in Rivers State was the stupidity of PDP. At the centre of that is the spin doctor, Nyesom Wike.
“Since the inception of PDP in 1998, Rivers State has been a haven for PDP. It has won elections back to back.
“Even when we were in government, PDP still defeated us (in Rivers). Wike gave instructions to his PDP family because they had no candidate to vote for. ‘Work with APC’ and it was me they were coming to work with because I was the arrowhead (of the APC).
“Abe had left for SDP, Amaechi was not keen. I’m bold to say that Wike took care of the election bills. He was the one that paid the piper.
“Without Wike’s huge support, material and financial, Peter Obi could have swept Rivers State.
“Even to localise Wike to Rivers State, you are short-cutting and short-circuiting his influence. If the G-5 governors were intact with the PDP, their party would have won.”
On the demand for Wike to get Rivers ministerial slot, he said many APC leaders have been pleading with the President to include the ex-governor in his cabinet.
He added,
“If Wike who was in PDP could support APC to win, why is it that APC, having won, cannot also recompense the man who helped us to win?
“The point was made clearly that it was Wike, otherwise, I would have appropriated it to myself. I was keeping the house. He (Wike) played 70 per cent or more of the role that made the election of Tinubu in Rivers State possible.
“It has been acknowledged by all of us, including Magnus Abe in one of those his grandstanding appearances.
“He said that in the PCC, they didn’t reckon with Rivers State but winning Rivers State was to show that Wike was the game-changer. Why is it that the game changer would not benefit?
“The President should ignore any other person aspiring to be a minister from Rivers State. That’s our position. Giving the slot to Magnus would mean you are giving the opportunity to SDP people.”
