Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has dismissed a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Rivers Abiye Sekibo; ex-PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus; ex-governorship aspirant Celestine Omehia and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara as “expired politicians.”
They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution Wike over his opposition to Fubara.
Wike also acknowledged that he is no longer on good terms politically with his godfather, Peter Odili.
He spoke during a live media chat monitored in Abuja.
The former Rivers Governor, while responding to questions on his relationship with Odili said, “As it is today, politically, we don’t have a good relationship. We don’t work together.”.
When queried further on the reasons for his political differences with Odili, Wike said, “There are some political differences.
“For me, we have finished with this stage. It does not mean that, in the next stage, you will be in the same camp. No. He made a decision. I made a decision.”
Wike, however, said he holds Odili in high esteem as a father, despite existing political differences.
The FCT minister has been having a running battle with Fubara, whom development analysts believe is responsible for the differences with Odili.
Wike described the PDP leaders who declared support for Fubara as “political buccaneers.”
The FCT Minister described Sekibo, Secondus, Omehia and Opara as expired politicians who are not worthy of being called “elder statesmen”.
Wike claimed they were all irrelevant, adding that he had kicked them out of the party.
He added that Secondus was no longer a member of the PDP as his suspension was validated by the court.
Wike said: “The other day, I saw a political conference organised by transactional politicians. Political vampires, political buccaneers,”
Reminded that those men are elder statesmen, Wike said: “Do you know who is called an elder statesman? An elder statesman is someone who must have integrity; who must not be here today and be there tomorrow.”
Wike lamented that it was ironic that the same set of people who had refused to support Fubara before the 2023 polls now declare support for him after the poll.
He said: “Today, they are not only serving a boy but they are waiting for him on the road. Do they have integrity? The same people who said this governor was a neophyte—how can they bring themselves to support him?
“They wrote a petition when this Governor wanted to collect his certificate from the PDP; they carried a rumour on how he became chairman and that he was being looked for by EFCC. They said he was not coming to PDP national secretariat but they were surprised that the governor went to the PDP secretariat,”
Wike said he was aware of the “antics” of the PDP leaders, adding that Fubara wants to be on his own with these political vampires who are always sucking. My pity for them.”
Wike went further: “They are calling Nigerians to support Tinubu. That me, I am a selfish person. All of them were in power, but what did they do for their people?” he queried.