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Rivers crisis: We’ll know who’s in charge when time comes – Wike

Published

10 months ago

January 7, 2024

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike

Rivers crisis: We’ll know who’s in charge when time comes – Wike

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike, has mended fences and realigned with his estranged friend and Southsouth Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Victor Giadom.

Wike, who was hosted by Giadom at his Bera country home in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State yesterday, said he was happy to be back to his friend.

Though the former Rivers governor described the event as a private visit devoid of politics, it reinforced speculations that Wike was preparing the ground to defect to the APC and lead a solid team to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The event attracted serving senators and members of the House of Representatives from Rivers, leaders of APC and the PDP; two former chairmen of Rivers PDP, Felix Obuah and Amb. Desmond Akawor; Southsouth Chairman of PDP, Chief Dan Orbih; PDP National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, traditional rulers, local government chairmen, youths and women among others.

Clarifying the purpose of his visit, Wike said: ” I didn’t come here for politics. I came here to visit my friend, Giadom. Let nobody misinterpret why I came here. That is why I came with PDP and APC leaders. It is a private visit to my friend.”

Wike said Giadom only gathered his people to show he was still politically relevant, noting that politics was about making impact on the people.

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Addressing Giadom, he said: “I have never been in doubt about your capacity to relate with your people. Politics is about impact. If you want to be a successful politician you must impact on your people so that when you call them they will answer you”.

Speaking about how people valued him across the country and how they always posed for pictures with him, Wike said it was a testament of his service to the people.

But he said: “Forget about these hungry noisemakers on the road. When the time comes, we will know who is in charge and who is not in charge. There is a time for everything.

“This is not time for politics. When the time comes, we will know who is who. If you like, abuse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. I have never bothered myself one day to know who is abusing me. Politics will come. We didn’t contest election based on social media. We spoke to the people, they listened and believed in us.”

Speaking on his realignment with Giadom, he said: “Party will come and go and friendship will remain. We have made our mistakes, we are all humans but friendship remains.

“When I was appointed a Minister, Victor Giadom led a team to congratulate me. It does not matter where you belong to. What is important is the interest of Rivers. If you want to be a successful politician, greedy ones will not like you. Nobody has done well in politics without enemies. Those who hate you are in the minority. Those who love you are in the majority.”

Wike recalled his capacity when he held sway as the Rivers governor insisting that he would continue to support the administration of President Tinubu.

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He said: “When I was governor, Nigeria heard about Rivers State. That is what I have always preached. So, nobody should be afraid. I have no regrets when I stood by with my colleagues and friends that the presidency must go to the South.

“There was nothing I was not offered. But I said no. That is why I will continue to support the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. As I am going back home, I am going with the satisfaction that my friend is back.

“This visit I came today will cause a lot of trouble. Some people will start visits now. Follow who knows road. Continue to support Victor and all your leaders that mean well for all of you.

“For the first time in history, Ogoni man is the chairman of works. I am happy that Ledum Mitee is a member of the NNPCL. Let nobody do community problems. When you do that, development will not come”.

Earlier, Giadom referred to Wike’s visit as the homecoming of a brother, a friend and a leader and assured him that they would support a team he would lead in Rivers.

Giadom said: “Today is homecoming of a brother, a friend and a leader. I stand here on this ground to let you know that we have lived well, paid our dues and contributed to the development of this place.

“Be rest assured that we will support the team you will lead in Rivers to provide support for our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the main reason we are all here today. This place, nobody can challenge any visitor on this soil. We are in firm control of this place.”

Rivers crisis: We’ll know who’s in charge when time comes – Wike

Related Topics:Featured Rivers crisis Wike

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Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

Published

10 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo

Edo Gov Okpebholo freezes govt accounts, reverses ministry’s name

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has directed the immediate freezing of all state-owned bank accounts.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the governor stated that the accounts would remain frozen until further notice.

He instructed commercial banks, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to comply with the order immediately or face severe consequences.

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Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

Published

19 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi

Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

Prominent Islamic scholar Dr. Ahmad Mahmud Gumi has criticized the widely discussed two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling it a “deception.”

His remarks followed a recent summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Riyadh, where President Bola Tinubu and other leaders condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and urged an end to hostilities.

In an interview with Daily Trust at his Kaduna residence, Gumi argued, “This Two-State Solution is a deception. No Israeli will allow a Palestinian to survive, and Palestinians will never allow Israel to survive.

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The only solution is to dissolve the two states and create a democratically electable region.”

Gumi commended the OIC’s support for Palestine, noting that Muslims and Arabs worldwide increasingly see the treatment of Palestinians as “genocide” and accuse Israel of human rights abuses.

He also called for a return to the pre-1948 structure, where Palestinians, Jews, and Christians lived together, suggesting a single, inclusive state that allows peaceful coexistence.

“When I hear people talking about Two-State Solutions, I know they are just deceiving themselves,” Gumi added, advocating for a unified region where people of all faiths can live together, similar to the multi-faith coexistence seen in countries like the United States.

Israel-Palestinian conflict: Two-state solution is a deception, says Gumi

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Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

Published

19 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Olusola Ebiseni

Court sacks Ondo LP candidate, two days to governorship poll

The Labour Party candidature of Olusola Ebiseni for the upcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State has been nullified.

The nullification follows the sacking of Ebiseni by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The governorship election of the southwest State will hold on Saturday, 16 November 2024.

The judgement disqualifying Ebiseni was unanimously delivered by the three members of the panel and read out by the chairman of the panel, Justice Adebukola Banjoko.

The judgment granted the prayer of the Labour Party who preferred the case against Ebiseni.

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Justice Banjoko held that, “the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024 brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others is allowed.”

Justice Banjoko further stated that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be provided to the parties involved in the appeal as soon as possible for their review.

Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to accept and recognize Olusola Ebiseni and Ezekiel Awude as the Labour Party’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the November 16 Ondo State governorship elections.

Justice Nwite confirmed that the second primary election conducted by the Labour Party, which resulted in Ebiseni and Awude being selected as candidates, was valid and should be upheld by INEC.

However, the appellate court has now overturned the judgment of the trial court’s judgment.