The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has said backing Sir Siminalayi Fubara to become governor of Rivers State in the 2023 elections was a mistake he would correct at the appropriate time.
He insisted that he made mistakes in his judgement of Fubara and asked the people of the state and political family to forgive him.
Wike spoke at the weekend during the grand civic reception held at Ogu, headquarters of Ogu-Bolo local government area of the state, in honour of Senator George Sekibo to celebrate his 20 years of service at the national and 36 years of his life in public service.
The FCT minister said at the appropriate time, they would correct the Fubara mistake, insisting that he would continue to make his detractors angry so they would keep making mistakes.
Wike said: “I want to say this clearly, in life we have made a mistake. I have made a mistake. I own it up and I say God forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But we will correct it at the appropriate time. I am a human, I am bound to make a mistake. So forgive me for making a wrong judgement. So nobody should kill.”
He also responded to some recent developments and actions from Governor Fubara’s camp on the ongoing political crisis in the state.
The former Rivers State governor told the Fubara’s camp that no injunctions obtained at 2:00am or 4:00am would stop the law and due process from taking its course in the state.
Wike said: “If they like they can go to anybody by 2:00am or 4:00am to get injunction. The law will take its course. We must follow due process.”
Reacting to Fubara’s remarks that he would not worship anybody, the FCT minister stated that he had never asked anybody to worship him.
Meanwhile, speaking on the celebrant, he said: “It is not easy to be a public officer and the people decide to honour you. Let me thank the Ogu council of chiefs and the entire community who insisted that their son should be honoured.
“You have refused politics to divide you. It shows that you have the interest of your community in mind. I came because I respect people, who appreciate what God has used people to do for them.
“God uses people to help others. So when you have been helped, you appreciate them. God will know you have appreciated him. Nobody can worship man. All of us believe that it is only God we will worship.
“As politicians, we appreciate people who have helped us. When I came to ask you to support me, you supported me. Did I worship you? Did I ask you to worship me. If you had not supported me, I would not have been where I am. Did you tell me to worship you? So where does the issue of worship come from?”
Most political associates of Wike such as Senator Magnus Abe; Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku; NDDC Director, Finance and Administration, Boma Iyayi, House of Assembly members, local government chairmen, Senators, among others, attended the event
Wike told the embattled Rivers lawmakers not to be afraid, saying nobody would remove them as Assembly members.
He said: “Don’t be afraid nobody will remove you as a lawmakers. Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. Our business is to make them to fear. That is what I am doing. We will make them to be angry everyday and they will continue to make mistakes.”
The former governor said he would continue to maintain peace in the state and called on his supporters to pursue peace.
He said: “So don’t worry yourselves. We won’t give money to anybody to go and buy arms to kill anybody. I have maintained peace and I want to beg all you to continue to maintain peace. Nobody will tell me that I can’t live in my house or go to my house. But all of you should maintain the peace. Follow law and sue process..we will get to the end
“As you see me I stand straight. I think well. I came with senator Magnus Abe. I work with people that have brains. On politics, when people with brains agree they disagree. Those, who don’t know what to do but said they would bring me down, who born them? They are nowhere. When you are in charge, you are in charge.
“Everything will calm down. All these people running around, they would come down. Boma worked for his appointment, he showed loyalty and commitment and that is why God placed him there. Don’t worry.
“Let me also advise you, forget about how they abuse us. You must be alive for people to abuse you. If you are dead, will they abuse you? At the appropriate time when the results will be announced, we will know who is who. We have defeated them severally.
“Some.of them ran to Abuja but when I went to Abuja, they ran back here. Have you not seen the way Abuja is moving? No amount of propaganda can help you. Ogu people have shown loyalty and I want to thank you.”
Reflecting on his political journey, Wike said: “In 2014 to 2015, we didn’t have anybody. I came here and you said you would work for it and you worked for it. We had nobody in government. Did we not win? What are you afraid of?
“While in a government I had a problem, I had a federal government that was hostile to me, did we not succeed? They are giving excuses. If you know you. When somebody cannot do something, say you cannot do it.
“At the appropriate time, people will speak of the projects in the state. They will tell you who did what. It is not people who come now and claim what they didn’t do. Ogu continue to support your people, your politicians have done well. Sekibo has done well.
“Don’t mind these buccaneers, I know how to handle them. Leave them for me..they have been my children. I will continue to handle them. Let’s work together.”
The former governor added: ”It is not easy to be in power and begin to give excuses. You continue to run away from promises you made to people. Look at all the council chairmen, the assembly members, these were people I spoke to for the interest of all of us.
“They all responded but today somebody said they are nobody. Will you accept that? Assembly people sat down in their various constituencies. You never brought a dime. I never knew you were rich that your father was a managing director of shell before and now you are paying their school fees. It is unfortunate.
“But Ogu people I will never abandon you. There are some chiefs I wanted to recognise as traditional rulers. Their people said no. But I dared it and I did it. Nobody bothered to recognise the traditional rulers from 1999 down to 2014. It was me that came and recognize most of them. I did what I did because it believed it was the right thing to do. It takes he who has the balls to talk.
“Now you said you are making them first class. Who made them second class and third class before you are making him first class? Be grateful to whatever God has given to you. Anywhere you are as a traditional ruler, check your conscience, who lifted you up. They said the list of caretaker committee was released but it was fake. Everything is fake with them.”
