Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of being the mastermind of the current heated political atmosphere in Rivers State.
Secondus also challenged Wike to account for the $300 million he allegedly collected from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the Ogoni Oil Well alongside the cash refund made by Saipem Oil and Gas Company during his tenure as Governor of Rivers State.
The former PDP national Chairman made this allegation against the backdrop of Wike’s antics and incessant feud with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Government of Rivers State, saying the FCT Minister had been demarketing the state because Governor Fubara had blocked all loopholes that could allow him access to the revenues in the coffers of Rivers State.
Accordingly, Secondus alleged that Wike had instructed his aides and political associates to continuously malign and sabotage the peace, progress, and prosperity of Rivers State by ceaselessly attacking Governor Fubara and other leaders of the state in the media.
He further stated that Wike’s media attacks against the political leaders of Rivers were “unwarranted and diversionary.”
The former PDP national Chairman said, “Wike has been Governor for eight years and is now Minister of the FCT. As Minister, what, has he (Wike) attracted in terms of Federal projects to our dear State since he assumed office? Perhaps misery, grief, and anguish. As Governor he had supervised the exit of investors from the state due to his draconian policies.
“He had on an occasion mentioned that he is capable of causing crisis and he is not far from the truth, as he is causing an unfathomable crisis in Rivers State. Mrs Patience Jonathan and I worked for his emergence as governor, have we ever breathed down his neck? Instead what we get is disrespect and insults. I can attest to Dr Odili’s performance as Governor being the State PDP chairman then. I hasten to say without any fear of contradiction that he is the best governor of Rivers State in this dispensation. Wike claims that our revered Dr Odili made him but in his characteristic manner, he publicly ridiculed the Odili’s without any justification. He owes them an unreserved apology and he should do so publicly.
“These media attacks against the political leaders of Rivers State are unwarranted and diversionary. For the records you should account for the three hundred million dollars($300m) you collected from the NNPC for the Ogoni Oil well and the cash refund made by the Saipem oil and gas company and subsequently account for your eight-year tenure of over N4Trillion realized, mismanaged and squandered. Rather than trying to cover your inadequacies through media attacks.” These attacks if not properly checked might dovetail into a national crisis.
Secondus therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to sternly warn Wike to stop overheating the political atmosphere in Rivers State and to allow the Governor the freehand and liberty to work in the interest of the electorate in the state who voted him into office.
The former PDP national Chairman added, “I call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike to stop overheating the Rivers State political atmosphere and allow Fubara to work, noting that Whatever Wike thinks he is, It must be stressed that Rivers people made him.
