The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that he is unbothered by those who dislike him, emphasizing that the only person’s approval that matters to him is his wife’s.
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Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike dismissed concerns about his popularity, saying, “I don’t care who likes me. Do you like my work? If yes, that’s fine. Forget about me. The only person that should like me is my wife, and she does.”
He also referenced Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, a former ally, as an example of shifting political allegiances. “I don’t care about who likes me and who does not. Governor Siminalayi Fubara was once my supporter; has he not changed?” Wike questioned.
Amid ongoing speculation regarding his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike reaffirmed his commitment to the party, stating that he has no intention of defecting.
“If I move to the APC, I’ll tell you when I’m leaving. I don’t run away from fights; I’m not leaving this party o. The governors have money, but they are not spending it on the party,” he asserted.
Addressing concerns about the PDP’s preparedness for the next general elections, Wike expressed skepticism, accusing some party governors of undermining the party’s progress.
“See why it would not hold; every governor is working against the party. Let them challenge me, and I will tell them one by one,” he warned.
Wike did not hold back in criticizing PDP governors, accusing them of arrogance and neglecting the party’s leadership structure, particularly in the South-South region. He alleged that their disregard for the party’s constitution was fueling internal discord.
“This is the set of governors that want PDP to die. This crop of governors, their interest is to keep fighting PDP. I was a governor at that time; I saw the opposition party fighting PDP. I stood my ground that PDP must survive. I never went to them. Never!” Wike stated.
He condemned the governors for holding separate meetings without involving the party’s zonal working committee and key stakeholders.
“You had a zonal working committee; you didn’t call them for a meeting. What does the party’s constitution say? The National Vice Chairman of the zone is the one that presides over the zonal meeting,” he explained.
Wike accused the governors of using their financial power to manipulate party affairs and insisted that leadership requires more than just money and influence.
“You think because you’re a governor, you can do everything? You don’t buy character,” he said.
He went on to allege that some PDP governors were responsible for the controversies surrounding the party’s recent South-South zonal congress in Port Harcourt.
Citing an example, Wike claimed that the Minister of Petroleum once brought State Governor to meet with him.
“Go ask the Minister of Petroleum. He brought Governor to me in my house where I was staying. This governor you are talking about now, that’s why when I look at people, I say character is something you cannot buy,” Wike stated.
He also criticized Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, alleging that he once knelt before him but later turned against him.
“Ask the Minister [of Petroleum]. He said, ‘Ah! Yesterday, [the Governor] was kneeling down.’ I said, ‘No, don’t do that, Governor. Don’t do that.’ Today, you go and call a meeting—South-South, South-East, South-West—in your house. Members will not be there, the zonal committee will not be there. Is that politics?” Wike questioned.
Wike also recounted an incident involving the Enugu State Governor, expressing disbelief at the governor’s actions and questioning the legal training he received. “A governor came to my house. I said, ‘You’re a lawyer. Is that what you are taught in law school?’ I can’t believe all these interests and all these things they are doing,” Wike stated. He did not provide further details about the specific incident or the context of the Enugu Governor’s actions. However, Wike’s disagreement with him is because he backed Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye for National Secretary against Senator Samuel Anyanwu, whom Wike is backing, though he did not elaborate further.
Shifting his focus to Anambra State, Wike criticized the lack of PDP candidates contesting in the state’s elections. “Today, in Anambra, no PDP [candidate]. No ticket to contest as governor. And Mba is calling to be a governor, with South East structure, but he was quick to say, but nothing is wrong with that,” he lamented.
During his conversation with journalists, Wike caused a stir when he used an expletive while criticizing some PDP governors, prompting the interviewer to remind him that he was on live television.
Wike was discussing the party’s internal crises and used the term “stupidity” to describe certain actions taken by some PDP leaders.
“You’re telling me that is stupidity, excuse me,” Wike remarked, before the interviewer interjected, “You know you are on live TV.”
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