Wike Needs To Stop Abusing People – Kolade-Otitoju

By Ayodele Oni

Journalist and political analyst, Mr. Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu is on top of the ongoing tussle between governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the minister of the Federal Capital Territiry, (FCT), Nyesome Wike.

Kolade-Otitoju was participating in a panel discussion where he also made some reservations about Nyesome Wike.

The governors had expressed reservations on the Rainbow Coalition, being sponsored by Wike ahead of thr 2027 elections.

Wike maintained that his commitment is to ensure that President Tinubu wins nect year’s election, while the governors are on their own.

Asked whether the disagreement could place the President in the uncomfortable position of having to choose between the loyalty of the governors and the political network of the minister, a co-panellist said the President’s record suggests otherwise.

“One thing you cannot take away from Mr President is that he is a master strategist. He knows your strength. He knows the strength of the people who are in his party.

“And I’m sure he’ll be able to manage that, since the major thing that they are all fighting for, or planning towards in 2027, is the return of Mr President.”

He recalled a precedent from the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who on a visit to a state governed by an opposition party told the audience that when it came to the presidency they should vote for his party, but that in their state affairs they should choose whoever they wished.

“So it is left for everybody to sell their candidate, to sell what you have done. I’m sure if you have done a good job, it will be a plus for your candidate.”

The panel predicted that the matter will be resolved privately rather than through further public exchanges.

“I think that the President at some point will call them and say, gentlemen, use your heads. Behave yourselves, because you are in a critical period.

“Any misstep, any mistake, can cost the President dearly, and they must know that this is the right thing to do.

The analyst was equally critical of those in the ruling party demanding that the minister formalise his position by joining them, describing the demand as bad politics.

“I don’t think that they need to be saying what they are saying, because I don’t see that he is not interested in the President.

“It doesn’t have to be that he belongs to your party. It is bad politics, in my view, for them to be saying you should join their party.”

He drew a comparison with practice elsewhere: “Even in the US, people come into an administration despite not belonging to that administration. We even see presidents who headhunt and bring people from the other side.”

He added that the criticism is self-defeating given what the minister contributescontributes.

“There has to be a limit to which you can criticise, even insult him, or say that he doesn’t belong to our party, when he’s doing some things in the interest of your party.

“Even his performance in FCT is likely to help your party, if people vote for parties based on tangible achievements that they can see.

“So how come you are saying he should leave your party? You can’t attack him too much, because you must always remember that he is supporting your principal.”

Asked whether the arrangement could split the President’s base at state level, the panel pointed to the separation of the polls: “No.

“The elections are on different days. The governorship election is happening two weeks later.”

The analyst added that the minister has never concealed his position, and that those he has backed are expected to deliver for the President regardless of platform.

“Wike has already said that yes, I’m PDP. I know we are not in a position to win an election now.

“And he has declared that it is for the President. So in those states, even the people that he has chosen, he expects them to work for the President.”

He noted further that in the state where the strategy is most developed, it operates in the ruling party’s favour.

“He’s not asking anyone to do an alliance with him. In Rivers State, where the rainbow coalition is most effective, it is the APC candidate that Wike is backing.”

“Wike has to stop this attitude of abusing everybody. There’s no reason for that. Why should you abuse Hope, for example? Why should you attack?”

Asked whether the minister would listen, Kolade-Otitoju used the question to address the accusation that he is himself partial, recalling occasions on which he has criticised the minister publicly.

“What is it today? I’ve been advising. People who always say that I support Wike, such people are usually deaf when I criticise him.

“In fact, you remember his matter, when I said, look, you should act your age. Why are you exchanging words?

“They don’t see it when I say that to him. When I criticise him strongly, they don’t see it. But they will say he’s a Wike person. No, I’m not anybody’s person. I can tell you to your face that you are wrong.”

He said he had applied the same standard to the other side, recalling an earlier occasion on which he criticised a comment by the ruling party’s national secretary.