Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory minister has revealed that a former governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko provided the vehicles for his inauguration when he came to office in 2015.
According to him, his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi did not leave vehicles for him while he was leaving office.
The minister who is currently in a battle for control of the state with his successor spoke recently in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital during a thanksgiving church service organised by a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Felix Obuah, saying he ensured that Governor Simi Fubara was well provided for before his inauguration in May last year.
Wike said, “I laid the foundation but nobody laid the foundation for me, I came and saw nothing. No handover note to me. I didn’t have any car even on my swearing-in day. I had to borrow car from Ondo State. The governor then, Mimiko donated their own car to us for my swearing-in.”
The former governor said he regretted supporting Fubara to become governor, noting that he should have thrown his weight behind Obuah who was among those who wanted to succeed him at the time.
Governor Fubara in his quest to assert himself as the state chief executive has now charted his own path to the anger of the former governor.
Wike begged the former PDP chairman for forgiveness, stressing that no one is above mistakes. If another situation presents itself, Wike said he would act differently.
The FCT minister said: “Leadership is all about firmness, it’s all about courage, it’s all about transparency. When a leader takes a decision that is wrong, nothing stops that leader from coming back to say, I am sorry for that decision I took,” Wike said.
“My relationship with Felix Obuah started 2004, when he became the Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government. That was my second tenure and that was his first tenure.
“He showed that he is a man whom God has blessed and therefore he always contributes to people in appreciation of God’s favour in his life.
“It may be painful on how Obuah was treated by the then government, but he is one of those people that will not hesitate to obey my decision. That is why I say, today, I will use this opportunity to do something that is uncommon. In 2023, if you look at those which ordinarily I should support for governorship, Go Round (Obuah) should be one of them in forefront.
“That is if we do things based on your contribution, based on your support, Go Round is the first two persons that ought to get my support. So, I want to use this opportunity to apologise to all of you, to ONELGA for taking a decision that hurt you. I am sorry.
“Your judgement may not be right all the time, but I am a human being, I may make mistake, but it’s important for you realise your mistake and apologise to the people. So, I beg you to beg Go Round to forgive me. I hope one day another opportunity may come, but let nobody lose faith.”
