Has Wike Broken His Vow to Odili?

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, recently criticised his estranged benefactor and former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, and his family in response to Odili’s claims that Governor Siminalayi Fubara prevented ‘one man’ from turning the state into his private estate. Ejiofor Alike reports that this contradicts the minister’s earlier vow never to cause the Odili family grief, due to the significant role they played in his political career

There was a time the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, would sing to the high heavens the immense role that the former Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili and his family played in his political career.

In a viral video that was aired by ARISE NEWS Channel recently, Wike while reflecting on his political career at a public gathering, swore that God should not allow him to grow if ever he made the Odili family to cry.

“Any day that I will make Dr Odili and his family cry, God will not allow me to grow,” he vowed. “They suffered blackmail and everything because of people like us.” 

Addressing Odili and his wife, Justice Mary Odili, who were seated on the high table at the event, Wike said: “Sir, I want to tell you today – I want to tell you before the people here; I will never be alive and make you and your wife to cry. I will never do it.”

In another video, Wike had narrated how Odili’s wife rescued his political career when Odili was the governor of the state.

According to him, Odili’s wife was responsible for his return as Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of the state for a second term in office.

Wike said: “I was told that my name has been removed from the list. So, I ran down to the Government House. She had finished around lunch and left her husband (Governor Odili) and was entering her vehicle. I (Wike) said ‘mummy, I am finished.’ She asked me, ‘what happened?’ I said that they have removed my name. She ran back to her husband and asked him ‘what happened?’ The husband asked her, ‘what is the problem?’ She said, ‘my son (Wike) said that they have removed his name.’  Governor Odili asked: ‘Who removed his name?’ At that time, Secondus (Prince Uche Secondus) had left. The husband (Governor Odili) called the security officials at the gate and told them to stop Secondus and inform him to come back. And Secondus came back. That was how I went back for a second term as Chairman. For me, I cannot talk about my growth without mentioning her. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics because once you leave office, people will no longer reckon with you.”

When Wike wanted to contest for governor in 2015 and resigned as Minister of State for Education in the cabinet of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the then First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, handed him (Wike) to Odili in his capacity as the political leader of the state.

Speaking at the event, the Rivers State-born former First Lady said: “So, today, I have handed you over to the people of Rivers State, especially to our father (Odili) who is here and who has mentored all of us.”

Before the love between him and Odili’s family turned sour, the FCT minister was a member of Odili’s political family.

Throughout the period that Wike was emphasising the contributions of Odili’s family to his political career, Odili also acknowledged Wike’s great achievements as governor.

In several videos in circulation, Odili had on many occasions of projects inauguration celebrated Wike as a worthy political son and hailed him for being a performing governor whose achievements touched the lives of the people of the state.

Indeed, Wike was a greater achiever as governor who was nicknamed ‘Mr. Project’ by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, despite belonging to a different political party.

However, the political crisis in the state pitted him against Odili due to the latter’s backing of Fubara.

THISDAY gathered that Odili  advised him against the impeachment plot of the incumbent Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara. Odili took sides with the governor.

Odili provoked Wike’s anger when, during his welcome address at a Christmas Ballad hosted for Governor Fubara at his Port Harcourt residence, he stated that the governor had thwarted ‘one man’s’ attempt to capture the state as a personal estate.

Though Odili did not mention the name of the ‘one man’, the FCT minister believed he was referring to him.

In a fit of rage, Wike went head-to-head with his estranged benefactor, Odili, claiming that he brought him back to life after he had retired into oblivion.

He also made several claims and allegations against Odili in the no-holds-barred riposte on Odili at a Special Thanksgiving Service in Port Harcourt.

But rising in defence of Odili, the elders of the state under the aegis of ‘The Concerned Elders of Rivers State’ faulted Wike’s claims and demanded an apology from the FCT minister.

 In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday night, signed by former Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia; former Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, and 12 others, the elders linked Wike’s comments to Odili’s advice against an alleged impeachment plot targeting Fubara.

“The only reason for Nyesom Wike’s outburst against Dr. Peter Odili is that Dr Odili, in a statesmanly manner, advised him against plotting the impeachment of Governor Fubara, who has been in office for just over three months,” the elders explained.

Justifying Odili’s wife’s appointment, which Wike had criticised, the elders argued that Wike’s wife also serves as a Justice of the Court of Appeal while he is a minister, adding that “this hypocrisy cannot stand.”

On Wike’s allegation that Odili denied his brother’s son appointment as commissioner and gave it to his daughter, the elders clarified that it was Wike who rejected the nomination of Odili’s nephew and insisted that ONELGA, Opobo and PHALGA must produce female commissioners.

The elders also faulted Wike’s claim that Odili chickened out of the presidential race when he was asked by President Olusegun Obasanjo to step down in the interest of the party, saying that Odili only respected his party’s decision as a loyal member of the party.

“What this means is that he (Nyesom Wike) would disobey President Bola Tinubu if he were told to step down from any race the way President Olusegun Obasanjo directed Dr Odili to do,” the elders said.

The elders clarified that the house built for Odili by the Rivers State Government was a right conferred on him by law as a former governor and not a favour from Wike.

Many have argued that the FCT minister should not have attacked Odili and his family, given the role his family had played in his successful political career and especially as the former governor did not mention Wike’s name.

“If Wike could not respond to Dino Melaye’s grave allegations against him, why should he respond to Odili who did not mention his name?” one of Odili’s loyalists queried.

Melaye had claimed on ARISE NEWS that Wike called him 19 times in two hours, lobbying to become former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in the 2023 general election. The FCT minister did not respond to the allegation.

While many analysts believe that Wike will suffer the political consequences of the curse he laid on himself, having broken the vow he made on Odili’s family, others opined that the minister will not suffer any repercussions as his outbursts are not enough to make Odili’s family to cry.