ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, yesterday admitted that there is political difference between him and former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili.
Wike speaking on the soured relationship between him and the erstwhile godfather, also expressed displeasure at 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 supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The minister has been in loggerheads with Fubara, his successor, over purely political matter, a development that is believed to be responsible for the ruptured relations between him and Odili, who is backing the governor.
The PDP leaders had last week, urged President Bola Tinubu to caution Wike on the Rivers State crisis.
Minister Wike who acknowledged the gulf between him and Odili, said:”There are some political differences.”
The former governor spoke during a live media chart in Abuja.
READ ALSO: If There’s Nothing In Politics, Don’t Struggle For It – Akpabio Replies Fubara
Wike added: “As it is today, politically, we don’t have a good relationship. We don’t work together.”
Recall that 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.”
However, he said he held Odili in high esteem as a father, despite the political differences.
Wike also described other PDP leaders backing Fubara as “political buccaneers”, even as he described Sekibo, Secondus, Omehia and Opara as expired politicians who are not worthy to be called “elder statesmen”.
He insisted that they have lost relevance, adding that he had kicked them out of the party, adding that Secondus was no longer a member of the PDP because his suspension was validated by the court.
READ ALSO: Rivers: Wike’s Kinsman Steps Down As Councilor, Join Fubara’s Camp
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, he 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.”
Also, minister 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.
“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”, he added.
Lamenting over 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.”
He therefore queried: “They are calling Nigerians to support Tinubu, that me, I am a selfish person. All of them were in power, but what did they do for their people?”