Resign rather than cause disharmony in party – APC National Sec tells Wike
Senator Bashiru
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has asked the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to resign immediately as Minister under the APC government rather than cause disharmony in the party.
Senator Bashiru, who was reacting to Wike’s statement threatening him to stay away from Rivers politics, said the minister is not a member of the APC and so lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of the party.
In a statement on Monday, Bashiri noted Wike is no God and may be over playing his political card.
He posited that the tirade of the minister of the FCT against his person and office as the National Secretary of the APC is uncouth.
He said all members of the National Working Committee (NWC) must accord any sitting Governor his due respect and that governors remain the leaders of the party in their states. “It is shocking that such an innocuous statement can elicit such uncouth responses from no less than a member of the Federal Executive Council.
“For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party (APC) so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of our Party. And as National Secretary of the APC, I am imbued with the responsibility to protect the interests of the Party and all its members and structures. Hence, my comments regarding the affairs of the APC in Rivers State cannot be an undue interference in the affairs of Rivers State. As National Secretary, my activities cannot be confined to my home state, Osun State.
“I also take exception to Wike reference to a certain N600 billion largesse in the State for which I and other APC leaders are scrambling. This is nothing but cheap blackmail which has become his stock-in-trade. My background, track-record is that of unquestionable integrity and I challenge him to prove his allegations or we may meet in court.
“As to his veiled threat against me, let me remind Wike that he is not God and may be overplaying his political card. My faith is in God and will not succumb to cheap threats such as the one from Wike. I am one of the young Nigerians that confronted military rule, fighting for democracy, when the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.
“Let me also remind Nyesom Wike that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, does not automatically make him a member of the APC. Millions of non-APC Nigerians also support Mr. President and his own is no different. His attempt to destabilise our party in Rivers State will not be tolerated and he cannot bring the spirit of PDP into the APC.
“Finally, my advice to Nyesom Wike is that he cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC Government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the Party at any level, using the leverage of that same office. The honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister,” the National Secretary said in a statement on Monday.
Wike has threatened APC National Secretary asking him to stay off Rivers politics.
The minister’s comments follows after Bashiru had knocked the APC South‑South National Vice Chairman, Hon. Victor Giadom, after Giadom described Fubara as a so‑called governor of Rivers State during a thank‑you visit to Gokana Local Government Area last week by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Bashiru condemned Giadom’s language, describing it as disrespectful both to the office of a state governor and to the party itself.
“I find it unfortunate that a member of the NWC, who is the Vice Chairman of the South‑South zone of the APC, was referring to a governor in our party as a ‘so‑called governor of Rivers State’,” Basiru said.
He added that even where political differences exist, “elected offices must be accorded due respect.”
“No matter what his allegiances are to anybody, it is unbecoming of somebody holding such a sensitive position, and it should not be encouraged by anybody,” he said.
But speaking during a rally in Oyigbo in Rivers State, Wike threatened to report the APC secretary to the Minister of Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola.
Wike said, “Don’t take our support for President Tinubu for granted. You have to be very careful with the statements you make. Today you are enjoying in Osun, you don’t know those who did the work. You are opening your mouth to talk about Rivers State, anything you see take it.
“When Mr. President comes back, when I see the Minister of Blue Economy, I will tell them to tell him: go and ask other people what has happened to them before. Carry your hand to Rivers State if your hand burns, don’t say na me burn am. I can challenge anybody this state is a no-go area.
“Whether you like it or you don’t like it, dare! Take the one you have taken, stop making unnecessary comments. If not when I come out…”
