“Wike Can Never Be My Political Godfather” – Fmr Gov Obaseki

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The immediate past Governor of Edo state3 Godwin  Obaseki, on Sunday, January 5, 2025, strongly rejected reports suggesting his admission of  the  Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, as his political mentor.

The Source reports that the social media was on Saturday January 4, saturated with news reports quoting  Obaseki as acknowledging the pivotal efforts by Wike, the immediate past Governor of Rivers,  in his political ascendancy .

But in a statement made available on Sunday  by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, the former Edo State Governor, urged the public to discountenance such news reports, and threat claims made therein for what they are – false and mischievous propaganda.

Obaseki, in the statement, noted that there has never been such a time in his political career that he considered the FCT Minister as his benefactor and/or a role model.

According to him, at best, the two can be acknowledged as contemporary Governors in the political landscape of the country.

He insisted that it would amount  to a serious mischief and gross misinformation for any body or group of persons to even insinuate that he went on air to acknowledge Wike as his political godfather

“We have seen a completely misleading, false and erroneous report published on Opera News,dated Saturday ,January 4, 2025, purportedly stating that His Excellenc , Mr Godwin Obaseki, the immediate past Governor of Edo State, visited Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he, allegedly, appeared on Symfoni TV ,a social media based news platform ,and made remarks about the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, and former Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike.

“The misleading report also erroneously referred to His Excellency ,Mr Godwin Obaseki as the Governor of Edo State .

“It is pertinent to stress that Mr Obaseki completed his tenure on November 11, 2024, and could not have been in Port Harcourt for any event ,or made remarks as the Governor of Edo State.

“The writer of the report is, therefore, either being mischievous or still erroneously believes that His Excellency Mr Godwin Obaseki is the Governor of Edo state.

“We urge the public to disregard this report and claims made in the very erroneous publication .

“For clarity, His Excellency  Mr Godwin Obaseki has never considered Nyesom Wike as his master or godfather .

“At best ,they were fellow Governors around the same time .Therefore ,the comments attributed to His Excellency, Mr Godwin Obaseki, in the false and mischievous report should be dismissed and disregarded in its entirety”,  part of the statement reads

In the countdown to the re-election bid of Obaseki, in 2020, Wike, had lent a huge hand.

For the records, Governor Obaseki, owing to his political disagreement with his predecessor in office, Adams Oshiomole, was denied the All Progressive Congress APC platform for his second term bid .

Wike, then Governor of Rivers State, and  a huge financier of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, assisted Obaseki to secure the Party’s ticket for the Edo State off-circle gubernatorial race in 2020 .

Wike also played a very visible part in helping then embattled Obaseki to brush aside the stiff opposition led by Oshiomole, and secured a second term in office.

Ironically, however, the same Wike, was to team up with Oshiomole in 2024 to deny Obaseki the opportunity of having his preferred successor on the Edo State seat of power.