Politics Now...APC Chieftain Senator Ajibola Basiru Takes on Nyesom Wike

 By Tade Asifat 

National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola  Basiru has taken the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike to the cleaners  on  his recent political logjams and renewed hostilities with the sitting governor of Rivers state, Mr Siminalayi Fubara and threats against his personality as APC scribe,  warning Wike to not to meddle into the  politics of the oil rich state anymore. 

The illustrous Osogbo, Osun born politician also urged Wike to immediately resign his appointment as minister and mind his business,  and stop  ochestrating any activity capable of disparaging the party where he's not even a card carrying member.  He also warned the ex-Rivers governor  on  the use of derogatory language against Fubara who is duly elected, and deserves to be accorded due respect. 

With the ongoing political squabble, centring on Rivers state, especially between the APC and the FCT minister( erstwhile Fubara’s political godfather),  however, it seems the fight for the control of the oil rich state ahead 2027 general elections has begun ; hence the threats by Wike, warning the APC national secretary,  Senator Basiru to stay off the state's politics,  otherwise the astute Osun born politician will regret his action. Wike boldly emphasized his threats to deal with Senator Basiru during his current political tour of the state, citing examples of those who had suffered similar humiliations in his hands in the past for dabbling into Rivers politics,which according to him, is no go area to anybody without his consent. 

Reacting to the threats,  Senator Basiru, while having a chat with The Message International described Wike as a political hob-gob-lin and rabble rouser who he cannot be perturbed by his veiled threats on account of his pedigree as a legal luminary, human rights activist and esteemed politician, all these and many more he said  have not only prepared him ahead to stand the political test of time or any intimidation from any corner, but also earned him a credible space in Nigeria’s political landscape,  not only in Osun State.

These and many more are itemized in the press release below as obtained by The Message International:

1. My attention has been drawn to the tirade of the Minister of the FCT against my person and my office as the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress(APC). This is as regards my position that all members of the National Working Committee(NWC) must accord any sitting Governor his due respect, and that the 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(FEC).

2. For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister,  Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party  so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of the Party that he's nit card carrying member. 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 on 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. 

3. 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 intergrity and I challenge him to prove his allegations or we may meet in court.

4. 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.

5. 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. 

6. 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.

Signed Senator Ajibola Basiru Ph.D., BL

National Secretary, APC