Wike: I won’t apologise to Odili, didn’t turn Rivers to personal estate

Wike: I won’t apologise to Odili, didn’t turn Rivers to personal estate

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says he never converted the resources of Rivers State into his private estate while serving as governor.

Wike, who hosted some stakeholders in the state on Friday in Port Harcourt, also said he would not tender any apology over remarks he made against former Governor Dr. Peter Odili.

He said, “They said I should apologise. For what? There is no law that says their daughter should not take up appointment. I agree. But I said as an elder statesman, you should not have given what belongs to your nephew to your daughter. Did I say that there is a law that said that your daughter should not be something?”

Responding to the allegation that he converted Rivers State to his private estate, Wike said, “Those who made the allegations have their children serving as commissioners. Is any of my children a commissioner? I never converted the state into my personal estate.”

He recalled that people such as Dr. Abiye Sekibo, former PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Okpara, were among those who opposed the candidacy of Siminalayi Fubara as Governor.

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“Those who parade themselves as elders of the state today were the same people who opposed Fubara’s emergence as Governor. I stood my ground. But today, they are the ones moving everywhere, calling themselves elders.”

Wike nostalgically recalled that since 1999, when he contested elections for the Obio/Akpor local government council, “I have been winning every election I contest because we know how this game works.”

He also recounted how he risked his life to help former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki win reelection.

He said, “I had an ulcer, but I still went to Edo and ensured Obaseki won that election. I fought Oshiomhole.

“The police ordered me to leave Edo State. I left my car at the hotel and disappeared. But the same Obaseki turned against us.”

The FCT Minister appealed to Monday Okpebholo, the current Governor of Edo State, not to turn against Oshiomhole as his predecessor did.