The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday shed light on why Prince Uche Secondus was sacked as national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said:”I kicked him out for plotting to make his cousin, Tele Ikuru, governor of Rivers State, instead of Siminialayi Fubara.”
The minister also fired salvos at critics of the Abuja land policy, saying that there is no going back on the war against land grabbers.
Secondus was removed as PDP natiinal chairman in 2022 when Wike was governor of Rivers State.
Although many aspirants from other zones competed for the PDP governorship slot, the former governor insisted that the slot should be zoned to the lowland area of the state where Fubara hails from.
Wike reflected on the succession battle during the ‘End of Year Thanksgiving’ organised by the PDP stakeholders in Ahoada East and Ahoada West at Ukpata community, Ekpeye Kingdom.
The organisers included former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives Chibudum Nwuche; Chairman, Rivers State PDP Elders’ Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba; members of House of Representatives Solomon Bob and Victor Obuzor, and member of the House of Assembly, Dame Queen Williams.
Others are a former Ahoada West Local Government Chairman Hope Ikiriko; former Chairman of Ahoada East, Benjamin Eke and the PDP Chairman, Ahoada East, Charles Luke.
Ekpeye stakeholders, including members of the PDP, the All Progressives Congress (APC), ‘Wikematic Students,’ non-indigenes, women and children also witnessed the service.
The minister was accompanied by former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; Chairman of APC in Rivers, Tony Okocha and his counterpart in PDP, Emeka Aaron, OCJ Okocha; and the Minority of Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda.
Rejecting being labelled as enemy of Fubara, the minister, who also chided Celestine Omehia for attacking him, lamented that those who worked for Fubara’s victory are now ridiculed as enemies.
He said those who opposed Fubara’s ambition, including Secondus, are now wining and dining with the governor.
The minister disclosed that he kicked Secondus out as PDP National Chairman because he hatched to make Ikuru governor.
Wike, who rejected Omehia’s remark that he has not attracted any development to Rivers as minister, said that the PDP chieftain lacked the understanding of the functions of an FCT Minister.
He said the FCT Minister has territorial jurisdiction and cannot attract infrastructural projects like roads and schools to his home state.
However, Wike recalled that when he served as the Minister of State for Education, he attracted many projects to Rivers State, including the Faculty of Law to Rivers University and grants to the higher institutions in the state.
Wike also said no governor has attracted more appointments to his state than him in the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He said: “I heard Secondus say the other day in Bori, I awarded the Bori Internal Road. I paid 50 per cent and thinking that we have a governor that we all agreed to continue, Secondus was saying we are his enemies. Who are the enemies of the governor? Secondus that refused him to be governor.
“I kicked out Secondus as PDP chairman of the party when he wanted to make his cousin, Tele Ikuru, governor. Today, he is saying now that we are enemies. He was the one, who refused the man to be governor; he wanted his cousin to be governor. He has now become the governor’s friend and we have now become the enemies. To God be the glory.”
“I overheard one imbecile, and let him challenge me, an imbecile Celestine Omehia. I say so. That is why when he wanted to occupy Government House, I kicked him out. We could not have imbecile to be governor.
“He said they should ask me what have I done for Rivers State. That is why I say he is an imbecile. If he understands that I am not a minister of a ministry, I am a minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
“When I was minister of Education, he would have challenged me what did you bring to Rivers State? I was a minister of education. I brought faculty of Law to University of Port Harcourt. I gave grants to Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, I gave grant to Ignatius Ajuru University, Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, Federal Government Girls College, Abuloma. I renovated them to be what a school is supposed to be. That is what I thought he should be asking me.
“Now, I am the minister of the FCT. I cannot bring road to Rivers State, I can not take FCT money to Rivers State, but I can help Rivers people. And I have been helping Rivers people.
“Let it be on record that by the instrumentality of Mr President, there is no governor of this state that attracted more political appointments in this state than myself. Go and count it.
“By the instrumentality of Mr President, by his grace, by his love for us, he said, go and give me these names for political appointments. So, Mr Omehia, are you not aware that Rivers people have more political appointments than even when you are serving somebody? Are you not aware?
“Today, they thought because they have collected what you suffered for, therefore, you will die of hunger. You will not die. Would you die? You will not die. We have been helping Rivers people and we will continue to help Rivers people”.
Wike queried the characters of people occupying traditional stools in Ekpeye land, saying they lacked integrity.
He recalled that during his tenure, he took it upon himself to elevate traditional stools in Ekpeye to first class positions, adding that prior to his government, no Ekpeye monarch enjoyed such privilege.
He said the monarchs’ recent pronouncement that they had endorsed Fubara for a second term was dead on arrival because they lack the capacity to actualise such mission.
Wike, who declared that he was proud to have married from Ekpeye Kingdom, said the people of the area remembered many of his projects.
He recalled that his administration awarded the Government Girls Secondary School project in Ekpeye, paid 50 per cent of the contract sum and asked the governor to ensure the completion of the project.
He said he constructed the Ahoada – Oboku road and directed that Omoku should be connected.
Wike said: “Some of you talk about traditional rulers. When I came onboard, I did what every other governor ran away from, that if we create or recognise cheifdoms, there will be a lot of crisis. When I came on board, Ekpeye had only one first class monarch.
“Today, all the Ekpeye cheifdoms are first-class. I recognised Engene as first class. No previous governor had the audacity to do it. But I did it and I said the heaven will not fall. Did the heaven fall? Heaven will not fall.
“I did that, not because of the people who occupy it, but because Ekpeye is entitled to have first-class as other people have in the state. So, it is not these individuals, who have no character, it is not because of them I recognised the stool. I recognised it because of Ekpeye people.
“So, why are you worried they are still the same people, when somebody comes to them they are willing to pour libation. So, do not bother about them saying that we adopt so so person. They cannot even lobby to recognise themselves. How can they determine who will be?
“So, do not bother. We are done with that. I am proud to have married from Ekpeye. Today, your daughter is a justice of Court of Appeal.
Wike reflected on the ongoing land-related battles in Abuja, saying that the rules should be enforced in the FCT, although the regulations were ignored by the previous administration.
He said the fact that no government in the past enforced the ground rules would not stop the Renewed Hope administration of President Tinubu from doing so.
Wike said: “Do not bother. People say I am controversial. if being controversial is because you want the right thing to be done, I prefer it so.
“People say land grabbing. Do you grab what you are in charge of? I am in charge of land in Abuja. How would I go and grab what I am in charge of?
“Those, who are grabbing land are those I am dealing with and that is why we must thank Mr President. If he didn’t give us this opportunity, we would not have known the way this country is.
“Here in Rivers, we thought it was difficult. But when you go to a capital territory of a country, you know that you are dealing with entire Nigerians.
“People think that because yesterday, nobody was able to implement rules, it means that today, nobody would be able to do it. It means that tomorrow, nobody will be able to do it. No, it is not like that. The mere fact that no government was able to do it yesterday doesn’t mean that this Renewed Hope Agenda government can not do it today.
“That is why I can assure you that no matter the cry you cry, no matter the propaganda you carry, I will do what is right. If you like, give me any name you want to give me. You heard what the president said, Nigerians do not like to comply.
“Simple thing, comply, because they think some of us, you can threaten us, you can blackmail us. I is fake. It won’t work. I do not even know whether you are blackmailing me, I am not interested. My interest is that I am doing what is right and even if heaven comes, I will still do it”.
Wike praised Nwuche, other PDP leaders and members of the House of Assembly in his camp, saying they had stood firm despite the challenges foisted on them by the same government they worked tirelessly to enthrone.
He said: “I heard somebody came in here the other day and was insulting Chibudum. I was the one who awarded Government Girls Secondary School. One of those contractors is Eric Appiah and Marshal Uwom from Abua. I gave them. I paid 50 per cent, and told them when the governor come make sure that this project is completed.
“That was the essence of bringing a governor we thought we will all work together. I was the one who made sure, first of all, to dualise Ahoada road to Odioku Junction. I awarded that one to Omoku by signing agreement with Julius Berger that they should collect eight billion Naira every month from our Internally Generated Revenue.
“I thought that we are doing the right thing when people like Chibudum and all of us sat down to say okay, bring this young boy, let him continue where we have stopped. But he came here, abused Chibudum and said the road has been cancelled. You can cancel as much as you want. But these are people who worked day and night to make sure somebody emerged”.
Wike added: “They went to Omuma. Iwas the one who awarded that contract and called the young man and said sit down, see where I have stopped, make sure this road is completed.
“The Ring Road is my idea. Let them tell me one project that they initiated. On the 27th of May 2023, I went to Opobo. That was one of the last things I did before leaving office. The job was given to Lubrik Construction. I awarded the ring road of Opobo and I paid 50 per cent.
“And I called him, and said; this is your community, you must make sure, even if you do not do anything, you must make sure that this ring road is completed. If we did not say you should be governor, if God did not use us, to say you will be governor, will all these statements come?
“ Look at the people here. When you see people, associate with ingrates, they are also ingrates. People who can’t stand, they want to be in power every time. How you know human beings are like this, when there was presidential election in this country, that’s how you know people of character.
“People came to me, and told me that I was taking a big risk, that if PDP wins, that they will chase me out, that they will send me to jail, that EFCC will arrest me. I said all these plot you people are having, do you know the plot of God? Do you know God’s own plot? I said in my conscience, I will not support you.
“I will support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no matter the consequence. That is how you know men of character. It is about my people. Nobody should say we are second class citizens. That is why we insisted and I have no regrets. I have no apologies and if the opportunity comes, I will do the same thing”.
Wike appealed to the people to remain steadfast, adding that the current dispensation would end and they would smile again.
He said: “Continue to be steadfast, continue to be men of honour and integrity. That is what matters. Once people know you as a man of principle, as a man of character, it is bigger than money.
“I would not have been FCT Minister today, under the present administration if we did not take the risk we took. If we did not say this is our stand. That is how life is. So, I thank all of you, you have done well, keep it up, and when temptation comes, do not worry, you will overcome.”
Wike said despite the exotic vehicles and other gifts some bishops got from him, they still went to Opobo to abuse him.
He said: “Do not bother about hungry traditional rulers, they can only be traditional rulers. What about religious rulers? Bishops. Before I left office, there is no bishop in the Anglican Communion that I did not give land. Not one. That I didn’t buy SUV for, not one. But immediately I left office, one of them went to Opobo and was abusing me, and people called my attention and I said what is your problem?”
The minister added: “I am not a man you will see here in the night and in the afternoon I am saying a different thing. I will not do that. They are are imitating us, copycats. No even amendment small. At least, make an amendment.
“Put some originality in what you are trying to copy. What we have done here is what we are replicating in the FCT. We have shown the capacity. They thought that they will carry propaganda that we did not do anything in Rivers, but what they are seeing in Abuja has shut their mouth up”.
Wike, who hailed the unity between the PDP and the APC in the state, commended the Tony Okocha-led APC for identifying with the PDP at the event.
He asked the people to keep supporting President Tinubu, saying that he would not be there without Mr. President.
We are behind Wike, says Nwuche
Nwuche said Ekpeye people were solidly behind Wike, thanking him for implementing developmentat projects in the area.
He said only grateful people would receive more from God, adding that despite the shenanigans of the state government, they would recover the state at the right time.
He thanked President Tinubu for appointing Wike as the minister and expressed happiness that Abuja was developing rapidly.
Nwuche said: Today is a thanksgiving day for the PDP in Ahoada East and Ahoada West. We chose today to give gratitude to God. Like the preacher said as it is in the Bible, ‘Those that give gratitude can ask for more from God. Those that don’t will have their journeys cut short’.
“We have come to give gratitude to God because our members here, many of them toiled on instructions to bring forth a government in Rivers State. They believe that now is their time of rejoicing, but God knows best.
“The time is ticking and very soon, we shall reclaim our state. I want to commend the President for appointing somebody of your capacity as Minister of the FCT. You have shown to Nigerians that what you did in Rivers State was not a fluke, but it’s your nature to transform states and cities.
“Wike is working. Abuja is being transformed. Projects awarded 20-years ago are now being completed. Abuja is truly a modern city comparable to any in the world.
“Forget all the noise they make. We appreciate you for the projects in Ekpeye. Ekpeye has seen over four governments from Ada George to Dr Peter Odili, to Rotimi Amaechi. You are the only governor who has given Ekpeye and Egene a pride of place. The projects are numerous”.
The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra, said the organisers were simply showing gratitude to their political leader, who as a governor, impacted positively on Rivers.
Stressing thatWike isthe most talked about minister, he said: “Some said he is controversial but the President himself said Wike is a good man and a performing Minister. I join the President to doff my hart”.
In their goodwill messages, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly said they were prepared for the battle ahead.
