Heineken Lokpobiri says Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), facilitated his appointment as minister of state for petroleum resources (oil).

Lokpobiri spoke on Saturday at an event organised in honour of Wike by the Ijaw Peoples Congress (IPC) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

“It is important to tell you my brothers and sisters that me that is standing before you today as the minister of state for petroleum resources was also made possible by Nyesom Wike,” Lokpobiri said.

“You also heard the account of the MD of the NDDC who said that the minister of the FCT played a direct role in his appointment.

“My own case could have been a more direct role. Some of you may not know. It all started in Wike’s house in Port Harcourt and it all got concluded in his house in Abuja.

“My second journey of becoming a minister started at the house of the minister in Port Harcourt and it was concluded in his house in Abuja. It is important for me to complete this history.

“Because when I was looking at the welcome address, our names were not included among those who have benefitted from his benevolence. I thought that my name, Heineken Lokpobiri, would have been included amongst those that he has helped.

“But since my name is not included, I have to complete it. I want you Ijaw people to know that we have a brother, we have a friend.

“It is always better to have a good friend than to have a bad brother. Of what use is a bad brother? It is of no use. But if you have a good friend in the case of the FCT minister, you are already blessed.

“Your excellency, the FCT minister, let me on behalf of the Ijaw people all over the world, express our gratitude to you for your show of love to Ijaw people.

“We Ijaw people are very grateful people. If you do us good, we will not pay you back with evil. So, we will always be grateful to you for what you have done for our Ijaw people. We are looking forward to you to do more for our Ijaw people.”

Lokpobiri, who hails from Bayelsa, served as minister of state for agriculture and rural development between 2015 to 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was appointed minister of state for petroleum resources by President Bola Tinubu in August 2023 — the same time Wike was named FCT minister.

Controversial social media personality and cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has filed a lawsuit against internet activist and influencer, VeryDarkMan, seeking N1 billion in damages.

The legal battle stems from VDM sharing a voice recording, which he alleged was that of Bobrisky claiming to have bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, with N15 million to drop the money laundering charge against him.

Bobrisky, however, has denied the claims, stating that the voice recordings purportedly implicating him in any wrongdoing were artificially generated using AI technology.

Sharing a letter from her lawyers via her social media account, Bobrisky sued VDM for N1 billion as damages and gave him 24 hours to publish a written and video recording apology.

The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into bribery allegations against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).

The allegations, made by VeryDarkMan, claimed that the EFCC dropped money laundering charges against Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, after receiving N15 million.

Rep Patrick Umoh, representing Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, sponsored the motion during Thursday’s plenary, expressing concern over the damaging allegations.

He emphasized the negative image of Nigeria as a corrupt nation and the need for urgent action.

Addressing his colleagues, Umoh expressed concern over the widely circulated publication by VeryDarkMan against the EFCC and the NCS.

He said, “The publication alleges that the EFCC dropped money laundering charges against Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky upon collection of the sum of N15,000, 000.

“The publication alleges that Idris Okuneye, upon conviction for abuse and defacing of the Naira, by the court, did not serve his time at the Nigeria Correctional Service, but was lodged outside the confines of the service.

“We are disturbed about the damning allegations against Nigerian critical law enforcement agencies-the EFCC and the NCS established by this hallowed chambers to fight correction and incarcerate persons convicted of a crime for correctional purposes respectively.”

He also added that the negative image and portrayal of Nigeria as a corrupt nation in the publication should not be swept under the carpet.

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas who presided over the plenary session, referred it to the Committees on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions.

The elders forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state has apologised to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), over the rift between him and Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state.

Wike and Fubara have been involved in a political tussle over control of the party’s structure in Rivers state.

The rift between both politicians has created two factions in the Rivers house of assembly — with each camp electing a speaker loyal to the minister and the governor.

Boma Iyaye, executive director of finance at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), apologised to Wike during an event organised by Ijaw people in the state on Saturday.

Iyaye appreciated Wike for making someone of the Ijaw extraction the governor of Rivers state.

“On behalf of our people, we are apologising to you for what our son is doing to you. We are sorry because it is not in our nature to pay evil for good. You have done well for us, and we will continue to say thank you” he said.

“Your Excellency, do not, because of this bad behaviour of our son, run away from us. Continue to be our brother. Continue to have us in mind. We have never set our feet on the number one seat of Rivers state. You made it possible for us to become the governor of Rivers state.”

On his part, Ferdinard Anabraba, chair of the elders forum, criticised Fubara for “lack of political discharge”, adding that the Ijaw community do not support of his actions.

“The aberration we are seeing in the administration of Rivers State is only a demonstration of lack of political discharge of an individual, and by no means the opinion of Ijaw people,” he said.

“We, the Ijaw, see you as the light of Rivers State. You are indeed a notable strategist in Nigeria’s contemporary politics. And without doubt, you are the most celebrated Ijaw politician of national recognition.”