*Says feud not with Fubara but those who manipulated governor
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has again made it clear why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election.
While cautioning the PDP not to make the same mistakes they made in the last 2023 presidential elections, he observed that in any case that no body in the PDP at the moment can match Tinubu as an incumbent.
On the embattled suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, Wike said he is not in a battle with him, but with a battle against those who deceived and detailed the governor.
Wike spoke recently with BBC Pidgin English and was monitored in Abuja.
Wike said Tinubu would win overwhelmingly and with land slid if the Peoples Democratic Party continues with the mistakes of 2023.
“Tinubu will win land slid if PDP makes the same mistake they make in 2023. Remember that in 2023, even his ( Tinubu’s) own party fought against him , now he is incumbent. PDP must do the right thing.”
He challenged the PDP that as it stands, even if they do the right thing now, they don’t have hmany body to match and defeat Tinubu.
“Even if they do the right thing now, who do they have that can match this man now. Nigeria is moving forward, we don’t need people who will take us backwards, look at what’s happening in Abuja, it’s the kind of leadership he , Tinubu has provided that has made it possible. When people say I am doing well, can I do well without his support? He has brought back hope that people lost. That is the essence of Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Wike said even if his party, the PDP decides to zone the presidency to the South, he would not contest against President Tinubu. He would not run against a man who he is working with and has given him a lot of support which is delivering to the satisfaction of all to see.
In the squabbles between him and his political hid son, Sim Fubara, Wike said that he was not in a battle with Fubara, rather he us battling those who wanted to hijack government and to reap where they did not sow.
In his words: “No! Am not in a battle, Fubara is my boy, he’s my political son, Am not in a battle with him. Those Am fighting are those who wanted to hijack and reap where they have not sown. Those people are the ones causing concussion.
They are the ones who pushed him into this problem, he has seen it; good for him. They lied to him and collected money.”
He reiterated: “I am not fighting the young man, we meant well for him. Our elders called him and cautioned him. People suffered for him to come to become governor, some people petitioned to EFCC, we stood our grounds for him, he was barely 100 days in office, he started abandoning those who stood for him. I personally called him, governor Sayi Makinde called him, former governor of Benue State, Orton called him, former governor of Enugu State and others cautioned him. Those people deceived him that we wanted to control him, that we wanted him to give us money.”
Wike again made it clear that he could never had needed money from Fubara.
“How much money does he have. I am FCT am minister. I was governor for eight years, now I am FCT Minister, what money do I need?
“We only told him, remember where you are coming from, don’t abandoned those people who did not sleep day and night for you. Don’t allow people to deceive you, but he won’t listen.”
On peace efforts between them Wike said all is in Fubara’s hand as he knows what to do. He agreed that the suspended governor has met him with some governors and an ex governor, but the bottom line is “ Fubara knows what to do.”
Talking about the xxxx of defections rocking the PDP, as some major stakeholders of the party are dumping the opposition party for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Wike accused the leadership of the PDP of impunity and arrogance. He said instead of galvanising party members as an opposition party, they have been arrogant, even in opposition.
“In opposition, you don’t show arrogance and impunity, you galvanise people. That is the main problem now.”
He said no body will rail roll them into any coalition for their selfish reasons. If the party wants to go into any coalition at all, then all of them must seat and agree to that, not for someone to call a few people and say they are going into a coalition, Wike said.
“We didn’t send anybody to go into coalition. If we want it we will all seat and take a decision.”
On why he has not left the party since he doesn’t like what the leadership of the party is doing, he said he would not leave the house he built, but stay to correct it, he would not abandon the house he build because he is not a coward.
“You think I should abandon the house that I built because some people are doing what I don’t like? I will stay back there and correct it. I won’t do that, Am not a coward,” he said