A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has accused the immediate past Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of orchestrating the political crisis in the state.
Secondus alleged that Wike’s actions are motivated by his desire for unfettered access to the state’s finances, which Governor Siminalayi Fubara has refused to grant, News About Nigeria reports.
Speaking in Abuja on Saturday, Secondus claimed that Wike’s conduct and utterances have cast the state in a bad light, and his relentless feud with Governor Fubara is causing unnecessary tension.
He questioned Wike’s achievements as Minister of the FCT, asking what federal projects he has attracted to the state since assuming office.
Secondus said, “Wike has been Governor for eight years and is now Minister of the FCT. As Minister, what, has he (Wike) attracted in terms of Federal projects to our dear State since he assumed office? Perhaps misery, grief, and anguish. As Governor he had supervised the exit of investors from the state due to his draconian policies.
“He had on an occasion mentioned that he is capable of causing crisis and he is not far from the truth, as he is causing an unfathomable crisis in Rivers State.
Secondus also accused Wike of disrespecting and insulting those who supported his emergence as governor, including himself and former First Lady Patience Jonathan.
He praised former Governor Dr. Odili as the best governor of Rivers State in this dispensation, and demanded that Wike apologize publicly for ridiculing the Odili family without justification.
He said, “Mrs Patience Jonathan and I worked for his emergence as governor, have we ever breathed down his neck? Instead what we get is disrespect and insults.
“ I can attest to Dr. Odili’s performance as Governor being the State PDP chairman then. I hasten to say without any fear of contradiction that he is the best governor of Rivers State in this dispensation.”
The former PDP chairman further alleged that Wike mismanaged and squandered over N4 trillion during his eight-year tenure as governor, and demanded accountability for the $300 million collected from the NNPC for the Ogoni oil well and the cash refund from Saipem oil and gas company.
Secondus appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and rein in Wike, warning that the attacks on Rivers State political leaders could escalate into a national crisis if not checked. He stressed that Rivers people made Wike, and he should not be allowed to destabilize the state.
