Former Rivers state Governor and now Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike has been described as an errant propagandist deploying falsehood and deceit as strategies to win sympathy from President Bola Tinubu.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congres(APC), who stated this in a statement in reaction to the minister’s threat to Governor Siminalayi Fubara over Stadium use, said that claims by Wike that his group was denied approval by the Rivers State Government for the use of the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, in Port Harcourt was a mere cocktail concocted to mislead the public.
The APC Chief noted that it is public knowledge and every resident in Port Harcourt knows that the Stadium was currently undergoing a holistic overhaul and the reconstruction work has been on for months and would definitely not be appropriate for use for any public gathering at the moment as such attempt would undermine public safety and endanger the lives of innocent attendees.
“The false allegation of denial of use of the facility was first made by one Desmond Akawor and later amplified by the FCT Minister. Akawor alleged, Friday, at the event which was eventually held at the Capt. Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, another facility of the Rivers State Government, that the government denied them the use of the stadium after they had made necessary applications.
“Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a crisis merchant, escalated the falsehood and went further to threaten that himself and his group of charlatans would deploy force to access the facility should approval be denied in subsequent applications to access the stadium. And such use of force would definitely be accompanied by the use of arms.
“Wike’s threat is clearly criminal and ordinarily should trigger an invitation from relevant security agencies, for interrogation, but the lukewarmness of relevant authorities would fail such swift response.
“Who would have approved the use of a facility that is under serious reconstruction? Is it even reasonable that a sensible person will approach authority to use a facility that is undergoing extensive repairs? If not for the purpose of pushing a false narrative against the Governor and probably incite the President against him, what would make Wike and his group want to use a facility that would clearly endanger innocent lives?
“Assuming the Governor actually denied them the use of the stadium, then the denial is not strange. It would have meant Wike being served with the same cup and measure he served others when he was Governor”, he stated.
He recalled, “As Governor of Rivers State, in the buildup to the 2023 elections, Wike introduced executive order 21 and 22 which banned opposition political parties and their candidates from using government facilities for campaigns and rallies and prohibited property owners from giving out their private properties for use as campaign offices.
“Those order were so draconian opposition political parties could not hold campaign rallies in the state. The Presidential candidate of Wike’s political party then, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, could not hold rally in Rivers State. This happened only in Rivers State. But Wike and his charlatans had a field day”.
Eze said the Governor of Rivers State, Siminialayi Fubara, has a good upbringing and respects the rule of law, democracy and the rights of every individual and group and would not stoop so low to join the FCT Minister in the mud.
He further said that the threat by Wike and his group, built on falsehood, was staged, and clearly targeted at tarnishing the image of the Governor and paint him as one that does not support the President, adding that this was Wike’s strategy to draw sympathy from President Tinubu, whom he relies on for help to fight the Governor of Rivers State.
“But it must be made clear that the facility where the event held also belongs to the state government. So, if the Governor had wanted to frustrate the program as falsely peddled by the FCT Minister, he would not have allowed them use the Polytechnic premises.
“The capacity of the Yakubu Gowon Stadium which Wike and his group claimed they wanted to use is 16,000, whereas the number of persons mobilized for the event was clearly less than 2,000 as seen on clips in circulation. One wonders what Wike and his less than 2,000 congregants who were paid N3,000 each instead of N10,000 promised them had wanted to do in an oversized 16,000 capacity stadium. The reconstruction work actually saved the Minister lots of embarrassment.
“The Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, built by Rt. Hon. Barr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, is 60,000 capacity, the Minister and his people could have as well use that facility. It is open for use by the public”, he stated.
Meanwhile, the FCT minister during a public event in Port Harcourt today lay curses on some APC Governors and politicians who are supporting Governor Fubara.
His words, “Whether you’re a Senator, Rep Member, Minister, Or Governor and you support betrayers, people will also betray you in life. Every second term governor who has an ambition to put a successor and is supporting betrayal , you’ll never survive Ii; you’ll collapse and d!e”.
In a swift reaction, some Nigerians said; “Tell him to look in the mrror because “he also betrayed Rotimi Amaechi And Peter Odili”.
