Some residents of the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt have debunked the claim by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that he was from a wealthy family.
Wike, who was on a national television programme and was asked how he acquired money to buy a Rolls Royce and private jet, he replied that he was from a wealthy family.
In the said programme, Wike claimed that his father was the general manager of some companies, but could not name any company when pressed.
Speaking to BusinessDay on Thursday, a resident of Port Harcourt, who did not want to be named, said Wike is not from a wealthy family as his father, Rev. Nlemanya Wike, was a clergy man who had a modest church with modest congregation in Port Harcourt.
It was also gathered that the senior Wike refused any assistance from his son when his church was attacked by suspected hoodlums while the son was the then governor of Rivers State.
Findings also show that his mother was a staff of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council who refused to resign on the plea of her son who was then chairman of the council.
Another resident of the Rivers State capital also said the former governor was disowned by his father for betraying the family and was adopted by Nsirim, the Apiti of Rumene.
In a video that was circulated on social media last year, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a member of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) Elders Forum, had highlighted the Minister’s background.
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When reached for comment on Friday on Wike’s claim, Chief Sara-Igbe said he did not want to dwell on the past as the focus is now on bringing peace to Rivers State. But Sara-Igbe maintained that what he said in the video was facts saying, “I don’t want any statement that would rather than bringing peace would bring escalation. It will not do me any good. I’m an elder.
“Back then we were talking facts because of claims that were made at that time. Those are old stories.
“If you want to make reference to those old stories, they’re old stories, but I cannot make comments on those ones anymore because we are talking of reconciliation, we are talking of peace. I don’t want to make statements that would cause more problems. It doesn’t make sense; it doesn’t make me an elder.”
Road to peace in Rivers State
Sara-Igbe disclosed that a PANDEF delegation was in the state to broker peace between the state lawmakers and Governor Siminilayi Fubara.
He urged restraint on all sides saying comments and actions should geared towards peace.
“Well, PANDEF delegation is already in the state led by Agabi Sam SAN, and every statement, every comment should be towards making peace. What we expect, every comment from all sides, is how we can ensure peace.”
But he alleged that someone squandered the state money and nobody was probing him insisting that what the state needed after six months of backwardness is development.
“We have suffered six months’ backwardness. Somebody came and squandered our money and nobody can probe. We don’t want that again. We want development in the state.
“They should allow the governor to run the state, that’s our concern. Let him run, let him drive development. For second tenure, definitely the people say he will come.
“Wike himself confessed that there was no agreement that he should not come for second tenure. So, the people want him for second tenure that the development can go round the state.
“So far so good, he has not touched some people, particularly the wealth-bearing communities have not benefited, but we know that the way it is going we will benefit.
“So, we don’t want this distraction anymore. The assembly should know that he is the governor, voted by everybody. They were voted by their constituents, and therefore, they should cooperate with him, work with him and not to compel him.
“They don’t have power. The constitution did not ask them to compel him to do their wish, but they should work with him, guide him to make sure proper laws are made and things are done well, wealth distributed accordingly to every part of the state. That’s what they should be doing.
“Their interest is their constituencies, the constituents that voted them in, they should think of how they can get amenities to those areas and not to come and disorganise the governor. That is not the best way to go about it.”
On what the Rivers’ people want, Sara-Igbe told BusinessDay that the voters were willing for Fubara to continue in office for two tenures.
He took a swipe at Wike for distributing rice to the people with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s picture alongside his, pointing out that it was in clear violation of the Electoral Act.
According to him, Wike was also endangering Mr. President’s second term ambition by campaigning before the time.
His words: “The voters are willing that the governor should continue despite the fact that Wike is sharing 12.5kg rice all over the communities- LGA by LGA.
“He’s even endangering Mr. President. The Electoral Act is very clear. He’s telling the world that Mr. President himself is contravening the law by campaigning before time.
“Why should you be putting Mr. President’s picture, your picture and be sharing 12.5kg rice in all the local governments?
“It doesn’t make sense. But to the people, take the rice because it is your money. It is your money they stole that they’re beginning to bring back. But it does not mean that it will change their mind.
“Rivers’ people want Sim to come back for a second tenure. After his two tenure, somebody else can come.”
