- Safiu Kehinde
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reiterated that he is not fighting against the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, but with those who he claimed wanting to reap from where they did not sow.
Wike stated this during an interview held at his residence in Abuja on Saturday.
Speaking at the interview with BBC Pidgin, the former Rivers governor, maintained that he bore no grudges with his successor.
He however alleged that Fubara is being pushed by former Rivers lawmaker, Austin Okpara, former Rivers Governor, Celestine Omehia, and former Minister of Transportation, Abiye Sekibo.
“No dat one no be battle
I no dey fight battle
That one (Fubara) na my boy na. Na my son. How I go take fight battle with am.
“The people wey I dey fight na people wey wan their wetin dem no work for. All these Austin Okpara, Omehia, Sekibo. Dem wan go hijack. Na Dem dey push am.” Wike said.
While dismissing claims that he called Fubara, the FCT Minister maintained that he is open for peace as he recounted the governor’s visit to his residence as well as President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.
Wike however claimed that the path to peace lies in Fubara’s hand.
“I no call am. Him come here with some governors. President call me say make we make peace. I say oga, how you go tell me make I make peace wey I no go go make peace?
“I tell am say na you. The yam dey for your hand and knife dey for your hand. Na you know you wan take cut am.
“If you want better peace, he dey. If you want wayo peace, okay. If I know want peace, I no go allow him to enter.
“He called me for phone the other day I talk to am. I said how’s the family, he said fine. If I no want peace, I no go talk to anybody.” He said.
On 2027 Presidential election, Wike ruled out the chance of contesting against Tinubu even if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoned its candidacy to the South.
The FCT Minister talked down threats against the President as he affirmed that he will win the re-election bid.
“I no go contest again. Why I go contest? Make I go contest with somebody I dey work with? Na who go win am then?
“You see, you dey for opposition, opposition no dey show impunity. Opposition no dey do arrogance. Na ruling party dey show impunity say we dey power.
“Person we no dey for power no dey do arrogance and show impunity. The one wey dey pain me na when I see say dem dey threaten.
“Make I ask you, who dey there? Udonwa wey be former governor of Imo, he no get one National Assembly member. He no even give his party three percent of his vote. He dey threaten.
“Sam Egwu, wey be former governor of Ebonyi, he no get one Assembly member, he no produce governor, he dey threaten. You dey empty. Wetin you dey threaten?
“We wey produced governor, produced National Assembly and House of Assembly, we no threaten. Na you wey no get anything, you no even give your party three percent.
“If they zone the thing to South, when we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it. But make Dem zone first.
“We dey too play wayo and this their wayo, na him go kill them,” He said
On why he chose not to leave the PDP despite pressure, Wike reaffirmed that he remains a PDP member, stressing that leaving the party will be an act of cowardice.
“I no go fit do that kind thing. I no be fear fear man. How I go build a house and you go con come say you frustrate me make I commot. Who go commot? Na you go commot because na me build the house. House wey I build, I no go gree spoil am. I go still dey there.” He said.
On people claiming he’s working on FCT for his own interest, the Minister talked down the claims.
“Wetin you expect people wey hate you to talk? You want make your enemy praise you? Wetin I do for my.own selfish interest? Make dem give me one instance.
“You talk say you wan kick me from politics, I say I no go commot from politics. Na my selfish interest?
“You wan make our structure wey we don build for years suffer. We say no. Na selfish interest? What do I do? Say I support Tinubu.
“I don talk am from the beginning say I go support a Southerner. So wetin I dey do now wey you go say you don’t know. Nothing dey selfish.
“In any case, politics na wetin? No be interest?” He said.