The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticized former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili, accusing him of being a rent-seeker and ungrateful for his political support. Wike’s remarks came during a Thanksgiving Service organized by Martin Amaewhule, a factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Eliozu Parish, Port Harcourt.
The Minister’s outburst followed Odili’s claim that current Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara had stopped Wike from turning the state into his personal estate.
Wike dismissed Odili’s accusations, pointing out the former governor’s influence over state governance through his family members, saying:
"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 into his private estate?”
Wike also claimed to have revived Odili’s political relevance during his tenure as governor, adding that Odili previously praised him as the best governor in the state’s history.
Wike criticized Odili’s endorsement of Fubara, who has been in office for less than a year, as surpassing the achievements of all past governors, including himself:
"You spent eight years as governor, and someone who hasn’t spent one year has surpassed your records? What manner of elder talks like that?"
Wike also recounted Odili’s failed presidential bid, attributing it to a lack of courage. He accused Odili of opposing Fubara’s emergence as governor but later shifting his stance.
A Strained Political Relationship
The exchange underscores the growing tension between Wike, Odili, and the Rivers State political landscape under Fubara’s administration. Wike’s comments suggest lingering grievances over loyalty and recognition, further deepening divisions within the state’s political elite.
This development adds another layer to the political drama in Rivers State, raising questions about the future alliances and rivalriesp shaping its governance.
