Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has spoken about the Rivers State crisis, maintaining that he still has a stronghold in the state he finished serving as its governor in May of last year.
Wike has been at loggerheads with his successor and former godson, Governor Sim Fubara. While President Bola Tinubu had waded into the political tangle, Wike believes with time, residents of the state will know the real political giants.
“Forget about these hungry noisemakers on the road. When the time comes, we will know who is in charge and who is not in charge. I don’t know whether you understand what I am saying. There is a time for everything. There is a time to plant and there is a time to harvest,” Wike told a gathering when he visited a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Victor Giadom in his hometown of Bera in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.
“We have no time for politics. This is not the time for anybody to say: ‘I am for this, I am for that’. We have not reached that time. When the time comes, we will know who is who,” he maintained.
Despite the increasing popularity of social media platforms, the FCT minister said he is not swayed by comments on digital mediums. He is instead calling on politicians to work for the people.
“If you like, abuse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. Let me tell you: I have never bothered myself one day to know who is abusing me,” Wike noted.
He added: “Politics will come. We didn’t contest elections based on social media. We contested elections speaking to the people and they listened to us”.
The former governor also reiterated his stance about the 2023 presidential election. He does not regret working against his party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – and backing Tinubu (of the APC).
“I stand for it. I have no regret at all and that is why I will continue to support the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” he told the audience.
“I have no regrets when I stood by with my colleagues and friends that the presidency must go to the south,” the minister said.
“There was nothing I was not offered. But I said no. That is why I will continue to support the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. As I am going back home, I am going with the satisfaction that my friend is back.”
