Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State for seeking the redeployment of the Resident Elctoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Anugbum Onuoha.
The PDP chairman in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, had on Thursday asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to redeploy Onuoha over his ties with Wike.
Aziegbemi expressed lack of confidence in the REC’s ability to conduct a free and fair election in the state, adding that he his Wike’s cousin.
Onuoha had previously served as Special Adviser and Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Survey under Wike when he was governor of Rivers State.
But speaking on Channels Television programme, ‘Politics Today‘ on Friday, Wike expressed surprise that the leadership of the PDP was complaining about Onuoha being the REC in the state with few days before the election.
He said Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, brought Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the PDP to him to seek his support for the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
Ighodalo is the preferred candidate of Obaseki in the September 21 governorship election.
The FCT minister said he told Obaseki when he came with the PDP candidate that he would not support Ighodalo.
Wike said Onuoha is his first cousin and has been the REC in Edo State for over a year.
“When his governor, Obaseki, came to meet me when I was staying in West County to support Ighodalo, he (referring to Aziegbemi) was not there. They did not know that the REC is my cousin.
“When Obaseki brought Ighodalo to my house two times to support him, they did not know the REC is my cousin. It is just today that they know that he (Onuoha) is my cousin.
“He was posted to Edo more than a year ago. That is the problem I have with this country.
“I told them (Obaseki and Ighodalo) when they came to see me that I’m not going to support Ighodalo. Neither am I going to support anybody. The one I supported you never helped anything but rather I was insulted.
“For accusing my first cousin, they have made a mistake. You know why? I was thinking I am strong; you are meeting a rock (Onuoha).
“Even the INEC chairman cannot tell him what to do. He is a stubborn man; he will tell him ‘go to hell with your job.’
“You see the problem with Nigeria. For more than one year, he has been there; they never knew he was Wike’s cousin,” the minister said.
‘I’ll never support Fubara again in my life’
Meanwhile, Wike has said he will never again support Rivers State, governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The minister said he laboured and sacrificed for Fubara to become Rivers governor in 2023.
He added that the governor could not have won the election in the state without his support.
Wike accused Fubara of telling lies against him after he was elected as governor.
“I will never support Fubara again in my political life. I won’t do that. Everyone knows me.
“That is why people should know me. I’m not a man who does things with my left hand. Everybody knows that.
“People laboured to put up a structure. You won’t have even taken the fifth position. People laboured and sacrificed. I sacrificed to talk to the Ogoni people.
“I sacrificed to talk to several people. Let us go this way (support Fubara). You turned it into that I’m asking for N20 billion, and N100 billion. You told lies against me. I brought you up, put you here and there,” he said.
Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads over the control of political structure in Rivers State for about a year.
Due to the rift between the two, the state assembly has been polarised into two factions.
The faction led by Martin Amaewhule with 27 members is loyal to Wike, while Victor Jumbo’s faction is loyal to Fubara.
The two factions are in court to determine the authentic House of Assembly.
Fubara recognises the Jumbo-led faction, and the state government interacts with the group, which has three lawmakers, for legislative approvals.
