The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that no member of the Peoples Democratic Party can refer to him as an outsider, or as a mole engaging in anti-party activities.
The minister dared party chieftains, governors and members of the party to go on national television to defend the allegation that he worked against the party in any way.
Wike made the statement when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday. “There is nobody, no governor today in PDP, not anybody born of a woman can say I am an outsider. I dare anybody in the PDP to come out on national television. I dare any governor, I dare any National Working Committee member, to come out on national television to say I am a mole,” he said.
The minister explained that President Bola Tinubu had written to his party both at the ward and the national levels, before he accepted his appointment as the FCT Minister in the Tinubu-led government, noting that he had never hidden his motives for whatever he did.
“Before I took this appointment, I wrote to PDP. I wrote to PDP National; I wrote to PDP Zonal; I wrote to PDP in my state. My governor also signed a letter, that I should take the appointment. Yes, it’s true. The zonal party wrote that I should accept. Who in the PDP did not write or nominate names by President Tinubu for appointment?“They did. Yes! Let them come to say they did not do it. You see the problem we have in this country is that some people think they are too smart, they want to use people; I’m not that kind of person. What I want to do, I will do; what I will not do, everybody knows I won’t do it”, Wike stated.
He also noted that despite the allegations of anti-party activities against him, he delivered the governorship and National Assembly slots for Rivers State during the 2023 general elections, adding that his delivery was a testament to his leadership.“In 2023, did I not say I won’t support you for President? Did I do it at the back? Did I not say I won’t support this, it’s not fair, it’s against equity, it’s against justice. Did I do it at the back? Did the PDP not win the governorship, did the PDP not win the national assembly? Did they not win the state assembly?
“I challenge any of them, let us see in any of these states they are criticising whether they have a 100 per cent as we have. What does that tell you? Leadership,” he declared.— Clarification on ‘fire’ threats —“What did I say? I said it to the Governors’ Forum, and I repeat without any apology to anybody who is anywhere. In fact, when heaven falls, there will be peace. You came out on national television, after your meeting, led by the Governor of Bauchi State, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, to read a communique with his colleagues that they are going to make sure their brother, their friend in Rivers State, would take over the structure, it doesn’t matter whether it is illegal or legal.“And I am sitting as the Minister of the FCT from that state. You look at it that there’s nobody from that state, you make such a statement, and I should fold my arms because you say you are a governor, which I was never before? I was never a Governor?” he quizzed.
The FCT minister noted that he didn’t make “any bad statements,” adding that he has the wherewithal to say there’ll be crisis in another PDP-led state.“You are trying to cause a crisis in my state politically, what do you want me to do? I didn’t make any bad statements. What is fire? It is a figure of speech. You want to cause a crisis in the political system in my state? You too would also have a crisis.
I never said that Bauchi State would be on fire, I never said that Oyo State would be on fire. All I’m saying, is you don’t want my state to be politically stable, you want to illegally, unconstitutionally interfere in a legitimate process, in a legal process that is going on, and you want me to fold my arms to say because you are a governor, Chairman of the governors’ forum, or because you are members of the forum? Who told you I do not have that capacity to say you too in your state, that crisis will be there?” he further lamented.
Speaking on calls by the leader of the Ijaw nation, Edwin Clark, for the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to ensure his arrest because of his statements, Wike said, “Edwin Clark is not fair, does not love Rivers State, he is not from Rivers State, and he’s from Delta State. For crying out loud, is he from my state?“We are talking about the PDP. Is he a member of the PDP? Let me see his membership card, let me see when he contributed to the PDP. Let me see how much he has given to the PDP, to fight for the PDP to win in Rivers,” he added.
