ABUJA – The crisis rocking the political landscape in Rivers State took a sharper turn on Monday as the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, launched a stinging rebuke against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
In a strongly worded statement, Basiru challenged Wike to resign from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet if he intends to continue his “obsession” with Rivers State politics, insisting that the Minister lacks the legal standing to interfere in the internal affairs of the APC.
The Flashpoint
The war of words escalated after Wike, during a thank-you visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area, warned Basiru to “steer clear” of Rivers politics. Wike alleged that the APC scribe’s interest in the state was driven by a desire to access the state’s treasury, specifically referencing a purported N600 billion sum.
”Tell your National Secretary to leave Rivers alone,” Wike had warned. “Go and ask those who have tried it before… If your hand burns, don’t say I burned it.”
Basiru’s Response: “Wike is Not an APC Member”
Senator Basiru dismissed Wike’s warnings as “veiled threats” and “cheap blackmail,” asserting that he would not be intimidated. He clarified that despite serving in an APC-led government, Wike remains a non-member of the ruling party and thus has no authority to dictate how the party is run.
”For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party (APC), so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of our Party,” Basiru stated.
He further argued that it is incompatible for Wike to sit in the Federal Executive Council while allegedly causing disarray within the party’s structure.
”He cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC Government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the Party at any level,” Basiru noted. “The honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister and face his obsession with Rivers politics.”
On the “N600 Billion” Allegation
Addressing Wike’s claim that APC leaders were circling Rivers State for financial gain, Basiru described the allegation as baseless.
”This is nothing but cheap blackmail which has become his stock-in-trade,” Basiru said. He emphasized that his mandate as National Secretary covers the entire federation, not just his home state of Osun, and that his interventions are aimed at protecting the party’s integrity, not financial inducement.
“Overplaying His Card”
The APC National Secretary concluded with a direct message to the former Rivers Governor regarding his political influence and support for the President.
”Let me remind Wike that he is not God and may be overplaying his political card,” Basiru declared. “His support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not automatically make him a member of the APC. Millions of non-APC Nigerians also support Mr. President.”
As the rift widens, political observers are watching closely to see how the Presidency will react to the open confrontation between a key cabinet minister and the administrative head of the ruling party.
