• Says he supported president when it was difficult to do so; would continue to back him
• Minister faults Fubara’s inaugurated projects
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike, has described himself as the most abused politician in the country today after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Minister also declared yesterday that from January 2026, politics will start in Rivers State.
Wike spoke during a special thanksgiving service organised by the Chairman, South-South Development Commission (SSDC) and former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche at his Ochiba country home in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State at the weekend.
The former Rivers State governor who declared his unwavering stance supporting President Tinubu insisted that he never reneged on any agreement he entered into.
Wike used the opportunity of the thanksgiving to commend the people of Ahoada East and Ahoada West councils for backing him to support the President.
He said: “This is the first local government we are coming to say thank you for being there for us all through these years
“You know, like the pastor said today, God detests those who are ungrateful. And so for what you’ve done for us, for standing with us, we say thank you. Thank you, and thank you.
“You remember, in 2023, when it was tough, nobody knows what will happen in that election. Somebody was saying that it will be difficult for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to win that election.
“So many people were not able to come and vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But we all met, as leaders here, and you, to say in politics, we must take a stand and defend it; that we must take a decision, whether it is good or bad.
“But we know at the end of the day it will be good. But we did it. When it was tough for people to say on your mandate we stand, we stood firm and said on your mandate we stand and to the glory of God, we stood.
“And today he is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He thanked the people for standing firm, saying,” so you are the ones who made the mandate to be strong as far as Rivers State is concerned. “
Wike condemned persons, who could not stand on Tinubu’s mandate when it was tough to do so but suddenly defected to his party at a rosy period to declare support for the President.
He said: “So all these people you are now seeing singing on your mandate we stand, that time, when they were needed most, they couldn’t sing that. They couldn’t come out to say, vote for Ahmed Bola Tinubu
“Now that you stood and voted for him, and even said, woman, I tell you, all your struggle will not go in vain. So we have come to tell you to remain strong.
“Nigerians know us. When we take a decision, we have taken a decision. We don’t take decision based on what people have seen.
“We take a decision based on what we are convinced. We believe that this will happen. You stood firm even when you were not in power. You stood firm even when you were not in council.
“You were harassed. You said, no, no despite the harassment, I will still stand where I am. So for us, it will be unfair that we cannot come and tell you, thank you.
“You know me, I believe in agreement. Anything you know you cannot do, don’t say it, don’t even enter into it. From January next year politics will start.
“Nobody can use us. So let me say yes and agree later. No, I can’t do that. Whatever you have agreed in the morning, it was agreed in the night. So, don’t be worried yourself about who was shouting or your mandate will start. We have shouted when it mattered most.
“If we did not shout it then would they shout now? Would they have shouted now? I have never hidden my position. Nigerians know. And you can attest to it.
“We have never wavered in support of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. If you want to know after Bola Tinubu, the next most abused politician is me. Why are they abusing me? Because they know agreement is what?
“When we have agreed on something, let’s implement it. If you cannot implement it, don’t even come to reach it. So for us, we have decided before now, long ago, that we must make sure we continue to support Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
“That is the position you took. And that is the position we are going to continue to take. So on behalf of our team, we want to thank you, our foot soldiers who have stood firm in spite of all provocations. “
Wike said some politicians in the home front, who went to get something from the governor, resorted to abusing and casting aspersions on him.
He also said most of the projects inaugurated recently by his successor had reached advanced stage and handed over to him in the spirit of continuity.
He said: “At the appropriate time, we will talk. This project you commissioned, who handed it over to you? We did it because we are a team.
“If we knew that we would not be a team, we would not have done it. But we did it, and we have no regrets. I have no regrets
“One thing you should know about Nigerian politics;you know, there is a universal state every time. How you can make money now for a universal state is like that. You go and say, enough is enough for Wike.
“Who deal with Wike, they drop (dish out money) If you don’t say you will deal with Wike, you won’t get him. I hear we have about N600billion somewhere.
“So just say we will deal with Wike
The moment you pronounce that word, something will come down, “the FCT minister said in a mockery tone.
Earlier, Nwuche explained that the people of Ekpeye Kingdom would continue to support Wike, for the numerous projects he attracted to the area while he was governor.
He said: “For the first time, Ekpeye had seven first-class stools. Before now, we only had one. Governors came and left. None of them agreed to elevate our stools. Only him (Wike) did that for us.
“So, I’ve seen people who have used power wrongly. They forget that there’s karma. And that’s why I say Nigerians should be careful in choosing leadership. We know our leaders very well. Ask us about them.
“There are many of them who came into leadership by accident. They have no business being there because they have no human feelings.”
He said people, who found themselves in power should use it to elevate the people and better their lots and “not to oppress them, to break their homes and go.”
He said: “Nobody who follows Wike can say that he hasn’t been impacted positively. Nobody. That’s why you see, no matter where he goes, we shall go there”.
