By Remi Johnson
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has fired back at the former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, describing him as a man of double standard and Elder Statesman that is only after Personal gains.
Wike stated this during a Special Thanksgiving Service organized by Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, at the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Oro-Igwe/Eliogbolo Archdeaconry Church of the Holy Spirit, Eliozu Parish, Port Harcourt .
In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of FCT on Public Communications and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, Wike said it was unfortunate that somebody who is supposed to be seen as an Elder Statesman and called a father can reduce himself to a sycophant and a trader.
“Must you be a trader all the time? As governor for eight years, what else are you looking for?..this morning, I read in the newspapers, what our former Governor, Sir Dr Peter Odili said.
“What did he say? He said that the present governor has been able to stop one man who wanted to convert Rivers State to his personal estate.
“Between him and myself, who has turned Rivers State to his personal estate? His wife is a Chairman of Governing Council, his daughter is a Commissioner, his other daughter is a Judge and he is the General Overseer.
“Who has now turned Rivers State to his private estate? I am sure if care is not taken, if there is a chance, he can even arrange a marriage for the governor. “It was his nephew, his late senior brother’s son that was recommended for Commissioner. He took the slot and gave it to his own daughter. Someone who didn’t remember to stand for the son of his late elder brother, is that an Elder Statesman statesman?”
Speaking further, the FCT Minister said it was painful that Odili, out of political sycophancy, has forgotten all that he said in the past, adding that; “All of you here remember when I was governor, this same Odili praised me to high heaven. In fact, he said then that all past governors in Rivers State combined did not do better than me.
“When I was governor, my pictures were everywhere in his house. Sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, even in the toilets. My pictures were everywhere. But today, all the pictures have been removed.”
“In 2007 after he left office, he couldn’t come near power in the State because Amaechi was the governor then. He was gone!
“Like somebody said that God will use someone to lift up someone. When I came in as governor in 2015, I won’t use the word resurrected, but I brought him back to life.
“All of us know about PAMO University. But for us, there wouldn’t have been anything called PAMO University. Rivers State was sponsoring 100 students per session and for every semester, each of the students was paying nothing less than N5m. Then, Rivers people were attacking me up and down.
“I personally called Julius Berger to build a mansion for him to live. He was calling everyone to the house then, telling them, come and see what Wike has done for me. Wike has shown me love. He was taking them round the house.”
“Now, because you have organized a Christmas Carol for the governor, I didn’t say you should not do your Christmas Carol. But why reduce yourself to such a laughing stock. People will still see it on television how he was telling the whole world then how God used me to bring him back to life politically.
“Why not do your Christmas Carol, collect what you can collect and leave me alone? Wike said.