Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, reacted to claims by elder statesman, Edwin Clark, that he’s exploiting his relationship with President Bola Tinubu to intimidate his successor and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Wike argued that Fubara should be allowed to stand and face the crisis because that’s part of the criteria of being a leader.
Clark had in an open letter to the PDP National leadership, on Tuesday, called on the party to expel Wike over his face-off with Fubara.
The elder statesman had alleged that the minister was trying to destroy Rivers State with his continuous spat with the governor.
Wike and Fubara have been at loggerheads over the control of political power and resources in Rivers State.
But Wike during a media briefing to mark his one year in office as FCT Minister, said, “I don’t know the party Chief Clark belongs to, but in 2014 when I came out to run, he said no because its the turn of the Ijaws.
“He said nothing will make me to win but to the glory of God I won.
“I wasn’t a bad person when i championed for an Ijaw man to be governor but I have become a bad person because there are issues. There is nothing Clark has not said but I vowed never to respond.
“He spoke about southern President which I supported, he spoke about power rotation to the South; which I believed in. So, what crime have I committed?
“In leadership, everything must not be smooth; I had my own crisis when I was there. Did I blame anybody? I faced the crisis squarely. When I was there you all saw what the Federal Government did to me. Did I accuse any ethnic group? No.
“If you are in a leadership position, you should be able to stand and face the crisis, that’s what politics is all about. Sometimes it will be good and other times it won’t be rosy.”
