FCT Minister Wike has renewed his attack on Tambuwal, labelling him a consistent betrayer in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday rebuked former Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, for accusing him of not being worthy to be trusted with political leadership.
Describing the former Speaker of the House of Representatives as a betrayer and as politically incompetent, he said Tambuwal has been ‘consistently inconsistent.
The former Rivers State Governor spoke last night in an interview on Channels TV ‘Politics On Friday’.
“What does he (Tambuwal) know about leadership? Who was Tambuwal in 1999. He was a special assistant to Senator Abdullah Wali. He left. He joined APP or DPP and came back to PDP. He became a speaker.
“He left PDP and went to APC. He left APC by 2017 to join PDP, so he could run for presidential election. Now again, he’s going back to ADC. Now, look at the trajectory. Because of Tambuwal, I had to take the national convention to Port Harcourt. How did he become governor? It was Wamakko,who was the governor then. When he was leaving a second time, he brought him to be governor.
“In Tambuwal’s second term of 2019, as a sitting governor, it was tough. It was rough. He won with 342 or 346 votes. A sitting governor, second time governor. It was tough. I appointed the legal team to defend that matter. I, as your friend then, I’ve always stood for friendship. I’ve always done that. Nobody can challenge me that way,” he stated.
Wike alleged that Tambuwal had his eyes on a Senate role if Abubakar Atiku won the presidency. He said both men frequently switched political parties for personal gain.
Wike recalled that he lost the presidential ticket to Abubakar Atiku in 2022 because of Tambuwal ‘s betrayal. He said while the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki refused to step down for Atiku, Tambuwal whom he had always stood by stepped down and also directed his delegates to vote for Atiku.
On the speculation that former President Goodluck Jonathan might join the presidential race in 2027 and jeopardizing Tinubu’s chances, Wike wondered why those calling on him now stood against him (Jonathan) in 2015.
“Those calling Jonathan now, what happened in 2015 that they refused him. These same people were the ones that said Jonathan must never return,” he stated.
Asked if his loyalty won’t be divided between Jonathan and Tinubu, Wike said he didn’t sit with Jonathan to make a promise to support him.
Wike also revealed that he was ordered shot in 2019 as the Governor of River State by a former GOC of the Port Harcourt- based 6 Division, Maj Gen Jamil Sarham (Rtd).
He said Gen Sarham, who was a former Commandant Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is now working in the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Wike said the retired officer undertook to carry out the task because his bitter political rival, Rotimi Amaechi, who was the Minister of Transportation under the Buhari Administration promised to make him the next Chief of Army Staff.
Meanwhile, Wike has rebuked political activist, Omoyele Sowore, for calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal on social media, stressing Sowore was lucky that President Bola Tinubu believes in the rule of law.
He delivered the reproach on Thursday at the commissioning of Arterial Role N1 connecting Wuye District with Ring Road 2.
The FCT Minister blasted Sowore, a presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, saying no matter how an American citizen criticised President Donald Trump, they would never go on social media to call him a criminal.
He said: “This is a country where somebody on social media will say Mr President is a criminal; nothing will happen. You say all kinds of things you want to say, nothing will happen. No matter how you see people criticise Trump, have you ever seen any American citizen on social media, or Sowore in the public, say our President is a criminal? Have you heard that?
“But here, anybody can wake up in the morning and abuse the President, and we are happy. You are lucky you have a President that believes in the rule of law. You are lucky. Continue to be lucky. There are those you will meet that you won’t be lucky again”.
Wike also scorned reports that he had travelled to London to seek medical intervention after he was allegedly diagnosed with congestive heart failure. The minister clarified that the trip to London was only to afford him the opportunity to relax, since he had not had a holiday since his appointment in 2023.
Wike rubbished the reports which he stated were politically motivated, expressing angst that somebody could concoct such about him.
“Each time I travel, I go with files, I travel with C-of-Os, to make sure that work is not being delayed. But this time around, I said, whatever it is, I must travel, and I must travel without any file, so if the whole place will crumble, let it crumble. Because one has to be alive before one can satisfy other people.
“You know this job we are doing, people are waiting for you, the day you drop, they will announce another person. So, you must make sure while you are working, you also take time out and relax, so I said, let me travel.
“Before I knew it, I heard that they said I was sick, and I heard they said they had a heart attack. God will continue to help them to have a heart attack. It is my prayer that I will sign their condolences,” Wike said.
The minister also warned politicians to desist from playing politics with the FCT Civil Service, saying nobody can blackmail him over the ongoing strike by the FCT resident doctors.
According to Wike, the FCT 2025 capital budget for health was only passed by the National Assembly in July.
Olawale Ajimotokan and Adedayo Akinwale and Nume Ekeghe
