- Wike berated elders of the state who claimed Tinubu did not have constitutional powers in the manner he handled the political crisis in the state
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has admonished the people of Rivers State to stay away from the political crisis that’s rocking the state.
The minister issued the admonition on Sunday while addressing the congregation during a thanksgiving and marriage anniversary of the immediate past Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr Des George-Kelly, at the Kings’ Assembly in Port Harcourt.
Wike, a former governor of the state, and his successor, Sim Fubara have been at daggers drawn for weeks now over the political and economic control of the state.
Last week, president Bola Tinubu brokered a peace deal between the warring parties to put an end to the protracted political crisis that has dominated the news.
The peace deal was however greeted with criticism and uproar with many saying Fubara got the shot end of the stick in the deal and that the resolutions of the peace accord gave Wike the upper hand.
Speaking on Sunday, wike berated elders of the state who claimed Tinubu did not have constitutional powers in the manner he handled the political crisis in the state.
Wike said “Don’t get involved in any fight between two politicians without knowing the root cause. In any facet of life, there are rules and they must be obeyed. As a pastor, there are rules you must follow.
“So as politicians, we must follow rules. While I was governor I followed those rules, and that’s why I was able to succeed.
“When I was running for governor in 2014/2015, I was invited that some elders wanted to see me. When I got there, I saw only two people. Just two of them constituted themselves as elders over the whole state.
“They said elders of the state have decided that I should not contest the election. I said it must be a joke. Now they’ve come back again as elders.
“Check everyone there, some of them their sons lost the election. Everybody wants to take their pound of flesh: ‘Wike prevented me from this. Wike made me not to be that. Wike made me not to be that.’
“Even those that Wike made have joined them.”
While warning against propaganda, he expressed dismay that the same group of elders who were calling on the President to wade into the crisis were the ones now faulting his intervention.
“You are the ones who said the President should intervene. Now the President has come to bring peace, you said no, you don’t have the constitutional powers.
“All of us must love this state but don’t listen to propaganda. There is nothing I’m looking for in this state now. I have my own budget as FCT Minister. I have my own commissioners. All I’m saying is if you are a politician play according to the rules