The immediate-past governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike, has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of masterminding the arson on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.
Wike claimed that Fubara took this step after learning about an impeachment attempt against him (Governor Fubara).
Speaking on Friday, during a press briefing in Abuja, Wike, who described Governor Fubara as an ingrate, said money and power reveal the true identity of a person.
The rift between Fubara and his political godfather came into the open after the arson on the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, ahead of the impeachment plot against Governor Fubara.
When asked if he sanctioned the planned impeachment process against the Governor, Wike said: “Assuming I am the one who plotted it, did you call me to say ‘Sir, they want to impeach me.
“When they were about impeaching you, did you call me to say ‘Sir, they want to impeach me’?
“Is that why you sent people to go and burn down the hallowed chamber? Is the impeachment for only one day?
“Is the impeachment process a one-day affair? Then you raised ethnic politics. We’ve never had it like this before…”
The Minister who described Governor Fubara as an ingrate, accused him of importing crisis into Rivers State.
“Let me tell you, I don’t like ingrates; I can’t stand it. What is happening now is what Odili said in his book: ‘Give a man power and money, then you will know the person.’
“If you haven’t given a man power and money, then you don’t know the person. However, I’m not worried because I’m a politician. I know what other states are suffering because of debt, but go and check if I left liabilities; the records are there.
“I left projects for him to commission so he would showcase during his hundred days, then politics came in. We are just starting; God gave you something; you are now importing crisis.
“God gave this on the platter of gold; the Federal Government is not fighting you, no crisis, but you are the one now trying to create a crisis for yourself. Only those who are natural ingrates will support what is happening there. I use the instrumentality of law to fight not thugs, time will come.”
Wike lamented that Fubara could seek to destroy the structure which produced him as Governor just within three months of his emergence as Governor.
“In three months, it is sad for someone to scatter a political structure that supported and brought you up.
“You know what is painful? All these allegations, I smile. Who and who sat with him? In all your doings, be grateful in your life no matter the circumstance. Nobody, who is a gentleman and a politician, will support this kind of thing,” he said.
Wike also declared that he would not contest against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He reiterated his commitment to the success of the Tinubu administration even as he explained that the quest for justice was the key reason he and the G5 group of governors supported the presidential ambition of Tinubu.
According to the Minister, good character should never be compromised on the altar of politics.
He pointed out that having worked for the emergence of Tinubu as President, and having been made Minister of the FCT, nothing would make him contest against the President in 2027.
“Tinubu made me the FCT Minister and I won’t allow anybody to crumble our political structure. No!
“Tinubu made me Minister, people don’t understand, I have character. What will happen in 2027? I stood and I said I’m not going to support injustice. I was threatened and some people said they would do me this and that. They tried many options including using Major Generals,” he said.
