FCT Minister Wike Behaves As If He Owns Rivers State – Donu Kogbara

By Ayodele Oni

An international multimedia Journalist and a former BBC correspondent, Donu Kogbara, has observed that there is nothing new in the political rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) was Fubara’s political godfather until both disagreed on the governance of the state.

The FCT Minister had twice used his influence on the members of the State House of Assembly to impeach Fubara, but for intervention of President Bola Tinubu.

Kogbara, strongly criticized the FCT Minister over the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.

Speaking during an interview from 4:10 on Arise News, Kogbara compared the situation between Wike and the current governor of Rivers State, Fubara, with the relationship between the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and his successor, Udom Emmanuel, in Akwa Ibom State.

According to her, although Akpabio was unhappy about some of the treatment he allegedly received after leaving office, he never attempted to destabilize the state or turn lawmakers against the sitting governor.

In her words: “I remember the current Senate President, Akpabio, telling me some years ago what he went through after he installed Udom Emmanuel.

“He never told me the whole story, but I know he was not happy about some of the treatment that was dished out to him in the immediate aftermath of his departure.

“But Akpabio has not gone back to Akwa Ibom to destabilize it viciously, mess everybody up, or turn all the State House of Assembly people against the governor. He has not allowed his ego to rise.”

Speaking further, Kogbara stated that what Wike may have experienced from Fubara is not unusual in Nigerian politics.

However, she stressed that she has never seen this level of refusal by a politician to accept that a state does not belong to him or his family.

In her words:

“Look, there are so many governors who have been through what Nyesom Wike has been through.

“It’s kind of normal in this country, but never before have I seen this level of megalomania and this refusal to accept that a state does not belong to you, your family, and your colonies.”