Wike admits relationship with Odili not smooth

There is a political difference between me and former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike admitted on Tuesday.

The minister, who spoke on the soured relations between him and the erstwhile godfather, also chided former Transport Minister Abiye Sekibo, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus and former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara, and Celestine Omehia for backing Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The minister has been having a running battle with  Fubara, his successor, over purely political matter.

It is believed that the successor/predecessor rift  is responsible for the ruptured relations between him and Odili, who is backing the governor.

Last week, the PDP leaders urged President Bola Tinubu to caution Wike on the Rivers State crisis.

Acknowledging the gulf between him and Odili, the minister said:”There are some political differences.”

 Wike spoke during a live media chart monitored by our correspondent in Abuja.

 Wike added: “As it is today, politically, we don’t have a good relationship. We don’t work together.”

Odili was governor between 1999 and 2007. He handed over to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi under whom the minister served as Chief of Staff before he was appointed as Minister of State for Education by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Explaining the nature of political differences, Wike said:“For me, we have finished with this stage. It does not mean that in the next stage you will be in the same camp. No. He made a decision. I made a decision.”

 He however, said he held Odili in high esteem as a father, despite the political differences.

Wike described other PDP leaders backing Fubara as “political buccaneers”

 He described Sekibo, Secondus, Omehia and Opara as expired politicians who are not worthy to be called “elder statesmen”.

Wike insisted that they have lost relevance, adding that he had kicked them out of the party.

 He pointed out that Secondus was no longer a member of the PDP because his suspension was validated by the court.

Wike said: “The other day, I saw a political conference organised by transactional politicians, political vampires, political buccaneers.”

Reminded that PDP chieftains are elder statesmen, Wike said: “Do you know who is called an elder statesman?  An elder statesman is someone who must have integrity; who must not be here today and be there tomorrow.”

Wike said it was ironic that the people who had refused to support Fubara during last year’s poll have turned around to support for him after the election.

 He said: “Today, they are not only serving a boy but they are waiting for him on the road. Do they have integrity? The same people who said this governor was a neophyte, how can they bring themselves to support him?

“They wrote a petition when this governor wanted to collect his certificate in PDP. They carried a rumour on how he became chairman and that he is being looked for by EFCC. They said he was not coming to PDP national secretariat, but they were surprised that the governor went to the PDP secretariat,”

 Decrying what he described as the “antics” of PDP leaders, Wike said he pitied Fubara who wanted to be on his own for associating with with “these political vampires who are always sucking.” [The Nation]