I?m bigger than you – Wike tells opponents backing Fubara

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday took a fresh swipe at his opponents amid the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, declaring that they are no match for him.

Wike attended a reception organized in his honour by the Ijaw Peoples Congress (IPC) in Amadi-Ama, Abuloma, Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State. Addressing the crowd, he downplayed the threats from those attempting to wrest control of the party’s structure in Rivers.

“Let nobody threaten anybody. All those threats are empty. I said nobody would take the structure of the party. I said nobody would take over the structure of the party. You can have all the money; if it didn’t dey, it didn’t dey,” Wike said, referring to the demands from the PDP Governors Forum for control of the party’s structure to be handed to Governor Siminilayi Fubara, his successor.

In August, the PDP Governors Forum issued a communiqué supporting Fubara in his struggle for control of the PDP in Rivers State. They urged the party leadership to allow Fubara to control the party machinery, a move that infuriated Wike, who warned that he would “put fire” in the state of any governor who opposed him.

The national PDP leadership subsequently recognized the congresses conducted by Wike’s faction, much to the dismay of Fubara. In response, Fubara directed his supporters to contest the local government elections under the All Peoples Party (APP) platform, a move Wike ridiculed during yesterday’s event.

Wike mocked Fubara’s decision, questioning how Rivers State could stoop to the level of adopting APP. He was joined at the reception by his political allies, including G5 members Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and former governors Sam Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Adamawa State Governor Adamu Fintiri.

Reviewing the state of affairs in the PDP’s Rivers chapter, Wike said;

“All those who are moving around saying they are supporting somebody… you know it is not correct. You know some people don’t have shame. I cannot serve your boy.

“Now, they are not even waiting, they are even rushing after the boy. They are not even waiting for the boy to call them. They are now rushing to the boy. People don’t have integrity.

“Don’t ever think that they’re fighting me. They are not fighting me. I am too big. If you don’t recognize somebody bigger than you, you know you are sick. I’m far bigger— all of them put together. They cannot stand it.

“When people said they will put hand here (in Rivers), I told them if you come here and put your hand, hand too will enter your place (state). Now they are crying.”

Wike also expressed disbelief at the suggestion that Rivers might align with the APP, stressing that political success was not about wealth but capability. He added;  

“Imagine in Rivers they are contemplating APP. It is not about money. Money does not move. You can have all the money but if there is no capacity there is no capacity.

“All the things you see are people envious of our growth. We have defeated them severally, and if opportunity comes again, we will defeat them.

“We have not started politics. When the time comes, we will play politics. Our job is politics. Tell them to keep their party ready. We will teach them what is called politics.”