By: Bayero Ade
Kinsmen of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, have appealed to former Rivers State Governor Dr. Peter Odili to forgive the minister for his recent statements against him.
According to Vanguard, Wike had accused Odili of personalizing Rivers State during his tenure as governor and claimed to have “restored life” to Odili and his family. His remarks were perceived as a response to Odili’s earlier statement commending Governor Siminialayi Fubara for preventing an individual from converting the state into a personal estate.
Chizy Enyi, President General of the Initiative for Transparent Strategy and Good Leadership, and a kinsman of Wike, condemned the minister’s comments as unwarranted and disrespectful.
“It was wrong for Wike to make such remarks about Dr. Odili, especially when Odili did not directly mention his name,” Enyi said. “This is the same Wike who once publicly declared that he owed his rise to Dr. Odili and his wife, swearing never to do anything to hurt their family. His words and actions now show a clear contradiction.”
Enyi criticized Wike’s alleged tendency to seek constant attention, saying it was damaging to Rivers State and his own reputation. “We hold Dr. Odili in the highest esteem, and Wike’s actions cannot diminish his legacy,” he added. On behalf of Rivers people, Enyi offered an apology to Odili and his family, urging them to forgive Wike.
Sarah-Igbe: Wike is Acting Out of Frustration
Chief Anabs Sarah-Igbe, spokesperson for the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) and a former security adviser to Odili, described Wike as a “drowning man” seeking to pull others down with him.
Sarah-Igbe recalled Wike’s previous praises of Odili and his wife, Justice Mary Odili (retd.), contrasting them with his recent attacks. “While Odili has a legacy of integrity and honor, Wike lacks these qualities,” he said, urging the public not to take Wike’s outbursts seriously.
He accused Wike of a pattern of disrespect toward elders in Rivers State and the Niger Delta, including the late Alabo Graham Douglas and Pa Edwin Clarke. Sarah-Igbe attributed Wike’s anger to losing control of the state’s local government structures and House of Assembly to Governor Fubara.
“His frustrations are evident, and he is venting on anyone who opposes his anti-people actions,” Sarah-Igbe added, advising Dr. Odili to disregard Wike’s comments and maintain his fatherly role in Rivers State.
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