Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has refused to apologize for his controversial statement threatening to “put fire” in states whose governments interfere in the political crisis in Rivers State.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Friday, Wike maintained that he has done nothing wrong and sees no reason to apologize.
He said that as a politician, he has the power to react when other politicians try to meddle in the political affairs of his state.
Wike specifically took aim at the PDP governors who he claimed “went too far” by declaring their support for Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara to take over the structure of the Rivers State PDP, regardless of the legitimacy of the process.
When questioned about his statement and the criticism he received from Edwin Clark, Wike responded, “I have always tried not to respond to Papa Edwin Clark, but I am human. Edwin Clark is not fair; he does not love Rivers State.”
Wike said: “I said it to the governors forum and I repeat without any apologies to anybody anywhere. Heaven will never fall, in fact; if heaven falls there will be peace.
“You mean as I sit as FCT Minister from Rivers State, the only person I can say I have no relationship with is the governor of Zamfara, I don’t know him; if I see him now I won’t know him.
“I know all other governors and they know me and we have a relationship. You mean you want to violate the processes and constitution of our party.
“After your meeting, you came out on national television as chairman of the forum to read a communique that their brother in Rivers state – whether legal or not – and I’m sitting as FCT Minister from that state listening, and you expect me to fold my arms because you are a governor?
“You look at me and tell me that? Expecting me to fold my hand for everything to be well?”
Wike’s initial statement, made in August at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt during the party’s state congress, sparked controversy.
“Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody, I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states,” he had declared.
More to follow…
