Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has responded to allegations of him requesting a monthly remittance of N20 billion from his successor, Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State.
The rift between the duo took a new turn from Sunday night, leading to razing part of the state House of Assembly complex. The following morning, some aggrieved lawmakers gathered at the vicinity to boot out the majority leader of the house, Edison Ehie, before ordering the clerk to serve impeachment notice on the governor.
Mr Fubara who attempted to access the razed facility moments later was resisted by police officers condoning the area before forcing his way into the complex. The dramatic events factionalised the lawmakers and Mr Ehie was elected Speaker by lawmakers loyal to the governor.
On Tuesday, Messrs Fubara and Wike attended the National Police Council meeting at the Council Chamber, Abuja. President Bola Tinubu who presided over the meeting intervened, according to Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi who chairs the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum.
Speaking after the meeting, when a delegation from the South-South region paid him a visit, the minister who said no politician wants to be irrelevant, especially in his base, reacted to the allegations of demanding humongous funds from the Rivers State helmsman.
He dismissed insinuations from Elder statesman Edwin Clark that the crisis had ethnic undertones but said it was an intra-party affairs which is being looked into.
“It is a party affair, the party knows how to resolve through their own mechanisms. It is not an ethnic affair,” Wike said in a video posted on X by Channels Television. “Our party is looking into it. That is what I will say. Every politician has his own interest.
“Anybody who knows me, know too well that what I’d never take is threat. You know me, I would not agree. If heaven would come down let heaven come down.
“I have seen all kinds of abuses (on social media), I said I won’t talk. I know in politics… ‘Oh he said he should be bringing N20 billion every month. Because somebody did not give you N20 billion’. But nobody said this when I was fighting. Nobody said that.
“If you like accuse me from here to here, I won’t even have a sleepless night. Because as far as I am concerned, the right thing must be done.
“All of us want to maintain our political structures. Would you allow anybody to cut you off immediately?
“Everybody has a base isn’t it? If you take my base, am I not politically irrelevant? At the appropriate time, we would know who is right and who is wrong,” he added.
