The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taunted his successor in Rivers State, Governor Siminalyi Fubara, further stoking the fire of the ongoing feud between them.
Wike, who spoke at an event organised by the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress (RIPC) in his honour in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Saturday, September 28, 2024, wondered if Fubara has ever uplifted anyone politically as he did to him.
He also commented on the widespread claim on social media, alleging that he's in conflict with the Ijaw people.
He said the gathering hasn’t only corrected such an erroneous notion but sent a message to those spreading the propaganda that he's on good terms with the Ijaw people.
“Let me thank this team for this strategic meeting here today. First of all, when I was approached by Senator Johnson Nsakebor. He was sent by the Rivers Ijaw Congress that they want to honour me. I asked what the essence of such was. Why do you want to waste such money? I need the money. Give it to me. But he said so many people go on television and speak as if they were speaking on behalf of the Ijaw people. I said okay, I will come and let Nigerians know.
“This gathering here today is a message to those of them in Abuja who don’t understand. So if anybody tells you one day that the Ijaw people are fighting me. It is not correct. We have some ungrateful people everywhere. A father can have twelve children, and one can be an armed robber. Does that mean that the whole family are armed robbers?
“So, all these people going to television to say Ijaw people are fighting me. Ask them; all the Ijaw people in the House of Assembly were positioned,” he said.
The Minister reiterated that nobody has the monopoly on causing violence, noting that he and his camp chose the path of peace to respect the rule of law and not make the state unattractive to investors.
“Who has Fubara made? All the things you see are people who are envious of our growth. They couldn’t do what we are doing today. These are people who we have defeated politically several times. If the opportunity comes again, we will defeat them again.
“I have made an Ijaw man governor of Rivers State. God used us. All of us here had sleepless nights. So who loves Ijaw more? Is it people who come out on television who can not even make their Ijaw brother governor? If they had been that powerful since the old Rivers State, would Ijaw have ever become governor? Where are they?
“I have told people that nobody has a monopoly on causing violence. The mere fact that we choose to play according to the rule of law. To be calm and not to turn ourselves into where investors would run away, and that is what we will continue to do,” Wike added.