Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims by elder statesman Edwin Clark that he is using his influence with President Bola Tinubu to intimidate Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
Wike instead advised Fubara to stand firm and face the crisis head-on.
According to the immediate-past Rivers Governor, leadership requires resilience in the face of challenges.
Wike recounted his own experiences as governor, noting that he faced similar challenges but never blamed others or accused ethnic groups.
He made the remarks while addressing a media briefing to mark his one year in office as FCT Minister.
Wike said: “I don’t know the party Chief Clark belongs to, but in 2014 when I came out to run, he said no because its the turn of the Ijaws.
“He said nothing will make me to win but to the glory of God I won.
“I wasn’t a bad person when i championed for an Ijaw man to be governor but I have become a bad person because there are issues. There is nothing Clark has not said but I vowed never to respond.
“He spoke about southern President which I supported, he spoke about power rotation to the South; which I believed in. So, what crime have I committed?
“In leadership, everything must not be smooth; I had my own crisis when I was there. Did I blame anybody? I faced the crisis squarely. When I was there you all saw what the Federal Government did to me. Did I accuse any ethnic group? No.
“If you are in a leadership position, you should be able to stand and face the crisis, that’s what politics is all about. Sometimes it will be good and other times it won’t be rosy.”
Clark had earlier called for Wike’s expulsion from the PDP, accusing him of attempting to destroy Rivers State with his actions against Fubara.
It should be noted that Wike is having an ongoing feud with Fubara over control of Rivers State’s political structure.
