Chrys
The nomination of former Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike for a
ministerial position by President Bola Tinubu has remained a subject of
controversy.
Wike, who prior to the 2023 general election had declared
that he would never take up a ministerial position, is believed to have worked
for Tiubu’s emergence, against his own party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar.
He was instrumental to the formation of the G-5 Integrity
Group, alongside four other then-state governors. The group worked against the
PDP during the presidential election.
His nomination as minister is seen to be a reward for that
act.
This thought was put forward by an APC chieftain, Senator
Adeseye Ogunlewe, who said Wike’s ministerial nomination was “compensation” for
his role in Tinubu’s victory at the 2023 presidential election.
Ogunlewe said: “It is so easy to decipher. If you are
following the development that cumulated in the last election, you would know
the role Wike played and you must give him compensation for that role.”
Stakeholders of the opposition party, PDP, met last weekend,
and the discussion was said to have centred around Wike and other post-election
matters.
But the party is said to be in a dilemma in handling Wike,
with some stakeholders warning that his case could further destabilize the
party.
This came to the fore as the party recently announced Wike
as a member of its Campaign Council for the November governorship election in
Bayelsa State.
Commenting on the development, Dirun Odeyemi, a former PDP
Deputy National Publicity Secretary, said expelling Wike would not be in the
best interest of the party.
Odeyemi noted that expelling Wike would lead to the exodus
of some governors from the party.
Hesaid that: “They know the right thing to do at
the right time, even though there is an argument for and against, some people
believe that Wike’s acceptance and nomination is not new.
“Another school of thought believes that Wike should resign
from the party. It will be very difficult to expel him because there is an
adage in Yoruba that says when you beat a mad man you will realise that he has
relatives.
“It’s not easy to touch Wike because if you expel him, you
will be expelling some PDP governors.
“In PDP now, what we should do is to persuade and resolve
all the issues within the party.”
Taking to their Twitter handles, some Nigerians dragged Wike
over his appointment as a minister, adding that PDP has lost its relevance.
Find some of the tweets below:
@BolanleColer: “From a LION in PDP to a RAT in APC from
Malaria to Cancer, the fall of Port-Harcourt Megaphone.”
@mrlurvy: “Wike, Ortom, Ikpeazu, and Ugwuanyi have been
included in the Bayelsa campaign council list of the PDP. Something is
fundamentally wrong with everybody at Wadata Plaza. And I am happy it is
happening.
The PDP has lost its relevance. It has no ideals, discipline
or foresight any more. I strongly advise that the party be deregistered by
INEC.”
@FirstObidient: “Amaechi was used against Goodluck Jonathan
and was made Minister by Buhari. Wike was also used against Peter Obi and has
been nominated for a ministerial position under Tinubu, why Rivers dey groom
Judas?”
