Former Governor of Rivers State and Honorable Minister of FCT, Nyesome Wike explained yesterday that the rift between him and Fubara was not due to money.
He told PDP governors that his priority was the protection of the political structure that took Fubara to government.
The minister said nobody can intimidate him because of the crisis.
He said,
“Nobody can take away our political structure. You can’t bring in people who fought me when I was fighting for you.”
Wike blamed the Peter Obi’s supporters in the Labour Party (LP) and the Atiku Abubakar camp in the PDP for linking the Rivers crisis to a fight over money.
The former governor said he was not interested in money because he left office as governor only a few months ago before his appointment as minister.
Wike said,
“Forget about the Obedients and the Atikus, who have lost; who felt I did not support them and those that I revoked their Certificate of Occupancy.
“They have talked about the crisis in Rivers state. Let me tell anybody who cares to listen that nobody can intimidate me.
“It does not matter whether you go and bring 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 in the constitution.
“I hear they said I gave a limit of what he (Rivers governor) can do. That I want 25 percent. This is ridiculous. I am not a political ingrate, but don’t touch the political structure in Rivers State because I will not shut my eyes.
“No amount of propaganda can stop me from doing my job. My conscience is clear. So, nobody can intimidate me.
“Rather, propaganda can only compound the problem. They should be careful because I have the capacity to fight back.”
Thanking the president for his intervention, Wike added;
“Let me appreciate Mr President for giving me this position and we will continue to work for Mr President to realise his Renewed Hope Agenda.
“I have made it clear to everybody that I am not here for any party. I am here for the interest of Nigeria and for the unity of the country. I am still a PDP member and I have never hidden my decision.”
The chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, said the visit to the minister was a routine courtesy call.
Mohammed, who led three other PDP governors on the visit, described Wike as a friend of the PDP.
Mohammed said a combination of Wike’s leadership maturity and President Tinubu’s intervention helped in resolving the Rivers crisis.
The Bauchi governor said there was nothing new in President Tinubu appointing Wike as minister in the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
The governor said,
“Wike is a member of our party, a jolly good fellow who is here dispensing national service to our country as a minister of the FCT.
“We know the person of Wike, his contribution to politics and national development. We know his relationships and his achievements in politics. So, we are not surprised that this matter is coming to an end.”
