NYESOM WIKE SHOULD STEP DOWN AS MINISTER AND STOP MEDDLING IN RIVERS POLITICS

My attention has been drawn to the recent outburst by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory directed at my person and my office as the National Secretary of the APC.

This followed my clear position that all members of the National Working Committee must accord sitting governors the respect due to them, as governors remain the recognised leaders of the Party in their respective states. It is disturbing that such a harmless and principled statement could provoke such uncivil reactions from a serving member of the Federal Executive Council.
For the avoidance of doubt, available records clearly show that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and therefore lacks the standing to interfere in the internal affairs of our Party. As National Secretary of the APC, I am constitutionally mandated to safeguard the interests of the Party, its members, and its structures nationwide. Consequently, my comments on APC matters in Rivers State cannot, by any stretch, amount to interference in the governance of Rivers State. My responsibilities as National Secretary are not limited to my home state of Osun State.
I strongly reject Wike’s reference to an alleged N600 billion largesse in Rivers State, which he claims I and other APC leaders are scrambling for. This allegation is nothing more than cheap blackmail, a tactic that has become synonymous with his public conduct. My background and track record speak to unquestionable integrity, and I challenge him to substantiate his claims or be prepared to meet me in court.
Regarding his veiled threats, I wish to remind Wike that he is not God and may be overstretching his political influence. My confidence is firmly rooted in God, and I will not be intimidated by such empty threats. I belong to the generation of Nigerians who stood up against military dictatorship and fought for democracy at a time when individuals like Wike were nowhere to be found.
Let me also reiterate that Wike’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not, by itself, confer APC membership on him. Millions of Nigerians who are not members of the APC equally support Mr President. His actions are no different. Any attempt by him to destabilise the APC in Rivers State will be firmly resisted, and he must not import the culture and politics of the PDP into the APC.
In conclusion, my advice to Nyesom Wike is straightforward: he cannot continue to sit in the Federal Executive Council of an APC-led government while using the leverage of that office to sow discord within the Party at any level. The honourable course of action available to him is to resign his appointment as Minister.
Signed:
Senator Ajibola Basiru, PhD, BL
National Secretary, APC