By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that there can’t be forgiveness when no offence has been committed or admitted
Wike added that for there to be forgiveness, the person who did wrong must first acknowledge it.
According to him the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has not apologised to him so there’s nothing that warrants forgiveness.
The minister, speaking through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, was reacting to the call by Niger Delta ex-militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, who called on him to forgive Fubara, his estranged political ally.
Tompolo, while speaking on the Rivers State crisis in a statement recently, emphasised the need for restraint and unity and urged Wike to set aside his anger for the greater good.
“And just like I will not accept rebellion from my son, I will also not cause more problems. Wike is angry, but he has to bring his temper down for the good of all. We will have a dialogue and resolve all lingering issues, and again Fubara will return to his seat,” Tompolo said.
Asked for his response, on Wednesday, to the call by Tompolo, Wike, through his aide, said, “There is no offence. It is when somebody has offended you personally that you are talking about the person seeking forgiveness or whatever. As Christians, let’s now assume that Fubara has offended the minister, do you forgive someone who has not come to you to seek forgiveness?”
Olayinka, emphasising the process of reconciliation, added, “The person who has wronged you must first agree that in his mind he has wronged you. Let’s assume that Fubara has offended the minister, has he come to seek forgiveness? I’m not saying there is an offence and there should be forgiveness but he has not even come for forgiveness.”
According to Olayinka, Wike has not accused Fubara of personal wrongdoing but has merely called for adherence to governance principles.
“The minister has never said that Fubara offended him personally. He only said that Fubara should govern in accordance with the rule of law and that Fubara should not throw away those who risked their lives and resources and that is not too much to ask. He said, ‘Those who worked to make you governor, don’t throw them away like that’. So, that is not about forgiveness. If there is one person Fubara would say he has offended, it should be the President.”
He further questioned the governor’s change in posture towards Wike, noting that Fubara once worked closely with him.
“He is the one to go for soul-searching because throughout the time he was working with this same Wike, throughout the time Wike was facing the bullet for him, Wike was not a bad person then. So, at what point did Wike become a bad person to him? He should ask himself. When did Wike become somebody that Fubara would be so bold, telling him that he would deal with him? At what point? He should ask himself questions like this.”
Waxing proverbial, Olayinka added, “You are begging a doctor to provide medicine for someone that is sick, but you are not begging the person that is sick to take the medicine. What happens?”
