PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, former National Publicity Secretary of the now-defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) and a prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC), has claimed that President Bola Tinubu appointed ex-Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to penalise residents of Rivers State and the FCT for rejecting him in the 2023 Presidential election.
In a strongly-worded statement released to the media, Chief Eze argued that Wike’s appointment was the result of his “legacy of wickedness, administrative incompetence, and anti-democratic tendencies” during his tenure as governor. He described the former governor’s selection for the FCT ministerial role as a calculated move by President Tinubu to inflict punishment on those who opposed his presidential bid.
“Tinubu has unleashed Wike like a venomous snake upon the people of the FCT, punishing them for voting against him in 2023,” Eze asserted. He further suggested that the appointment was intended to perpetuate instability in Rivers State, driving investors away from the region while Tinubu’s Lagos remained a haven for business.
Chief Eze’s remarks came in response to a statement by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who also chairs the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum. Governor Mohammed had suggested that Wike’s appointment reflected a lack of capable candidates within the APC. In his words, “the APC picked Wike as FCT Minister because they do not have people who can perform better than PDP members.”
Reacting to this assertion, Eze dismissed Governor Mohammed’s claim as misguided. He retorted, “To attribute brilliance to Wike, who is nothing but a political nuisance, is an embarrassing misjudgment. It’s laughable to describe Wike as a competent leader given his authoritarian reign in Rivers State.”
Eze further criticised Wike’s tenure as governor, accusing him of dismantling democratic structures and fostering authoritarianism, which he labelled as a hindrance to societal growth. According to the APC chieftain, Wike represents the kind of leader that should be kept far from any seat of power due to the damage inflicted on both Nigeria and its citizens.
“Wike’s style of politics is dangerous,” Eze warned. “He straddles both APC and PDP, playing a game that betrays the principles of democracy. This is not politics; it’s the conduct of an errand boy without political ideology. And yet, the APC is watching him closely.”
Eze pointed to Wike’s divisive tactics within his former party, the PDP, where he clashed with governors opposed to his presidential ambitions. He accused Wike of working secretly to weaken the PDP from within, while maintaining superficial loyalty to the APC for personal gain.
In his statement, Eze also commented on Governor Mohammed’s claim that Wike is working as a mole for the APC to fuel divisions within the PDP. Mohammed had remarked that “the APC wants to create disarray within the PDP by placing moles like Wike within our ranks.”
Chief Eze agreed with Mohammed on this point but reiterated that Wike’s appointment by Tinubu had more to do with the president’s preference for “political bootlickers” than a lack of qualified individuals in the APC.
“Tinubu wanted a man like Wike, who has no character, someone who can be manipulated and who is willing to do the manipulating,” Eze said. “That is why the APC, under Tinubu’s leadership, has become a laughing stock with little electoral value left.”
Despite Wike’s divisive actions and undemocratic tendencies, Eze shared Governor Mohammed’s optimism that the PDP will overcome these challenges. Mohammed had assured that efforts were being made to restore unity within the PDP, stating, “We cannot compromise the peace and unity of our great party.”
As the controversy surrounding Wike’s appointment as FCT Minister continues to stir debate, Chief Eze’s blistering critique raises further questions about the direction of Nigerian politics under the Tinubu administration.
