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Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, has admitted that he has familial relations with Dr Anugbum Onuoha, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State.
This is in response to allegations that Onuoha is colluding with Wike to compromise the upcoming September 21, 2024, governorship election in the South-South state.
On Thursday, the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the PDP, Anthony Aziegbemhin, raised the alarm over the familiarity between the minister and the INEC REC, alleging that their ties are too close for comfort.
Aziegbemhin went further to reveal that Onuoha is a cousin to Wike and the former had also served as a Commissioner and Special Adviser for Lands, Survey and Housing when the latter held sway as Rivers State Governor.
The PDP chairman stated these in a protest letter submitted to INEC National Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, in which he called for the redeployment of Onuoha from the state ahead of the all-important election.
“The ties between these two are too close to ignore as they share familiarities and are also close associates. To be clear, the relationship between the two is outlined below:
“The said Edo REC is a cousin to the Minister of the FCT, Mr. Wike. He also served as a former Commissioner and Special Adviser for Lands, Survey and Housing to Mr Wike during his tenure as Rivers governor,'' the letter partly read.
Wike says no one can intimidate his cousin
Responding to Aziegbemhin's allegations, Wike first admitted the familial ties between him and the REC before calling out the Edo PDP chairman.
''Do you know who Aziegbemhin is? This is one of the people who have no character. He doesn't have character, he knows.
''Money is a terrible thing. Let him challenge me on how he became chairman of the PDP. I, Wike, played a role [in his emergence],'' the FCT minister said on Channels Television's Politics Today on Friday, September 13, 2024.
Wike wondered if Aziegbemhin knew Onuoha was his cousin when Governor Godwin Obaseki brought the party's candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, to his (Wike) residence twice to seek support and endorsement.
"When his governor, Obaseki came to me when I said we're scouting to support Ighodalo, was he there? They didn't know then that the REC was my cousin.
"When Obaseki brought Ighodalo to my house two times to support him, they didn't know that the REC was my cousin. It's just today that they now know that he's my cousin. He was posted when? More than one year ago.
"You see, that's the problem I have in this country. If when they came to me, I told them I'm not going to support you neither am I going to support anybody because the one I supported never helped anything, I was insulted up and down," he stated.
Wike says Edo PDP made a mistake
According to Wike, the Edo PDP made a big mistake attacking his cousin whom he described as a non-compromising character.
He said the INEC REC can't be bullied nor will he cower in the face of threat and intimidation.
"See, let me tell you the mistake they made. For accusing my first cousin, you know why? I thought I was strong, but you're meeting a rock. Even the INEC chairman can't tell him what to do. He will tell you to go to hell with your job.
"You see, the problem with Nigeria is that until you kowtow. So more than one year, he has been there, you never knew he was Wike's cousin," he said.
On the allegation that he influenced Onuoha's appointment and deployment to Edo, the FCT Minister questioned if the accusers expected him to block his relative’s appointment because it displeased them.
''So I will influence my enemy's appointment? I should go and influence my enemy's appointment? So If I hear that my cousin is appointed, I should go to call the Imam. Call pastors and say please don't allow my cousin to be appointed? I shouldn't say please help him to be appointed? What nonsense is that?
''If you remove him now, will he not move to another state? Will there not be an election there one day?'' he queried.