By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Minsiter of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has attributed the frosty relationship between himself and the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, to the calibre of people the latter surrounded himself with after assuming office as governor.
Wike described Fubara’s allies after taking over the reins of power as “natural ingrates”.
He said he foresaw the current political crisis in the state and advised his successor, not to take that route, but the governor turned down his admonition.
.Wike stated this during a Thanksgiving/Civic Reception held on Saturday in Abalama in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State by some Ijaw stakeholders under the aegis of New Associates Kalabari.
“The primaries came (PDP primaries). Today, the governor said he was not going to run and that my Commissioner of Finance, Isaac Kamalu, should be the one to run.
“What did we do wrong? We said all the council chairmen suffered. All the Assemblymen suffered. National Assemblymen suffered for you to become governor. Therefore, don’t abandon them.
“That was the only offence I committed’ and then they said every time I’m asking for money. Which money am I asking for? Okay, thank you. Has the money come?
He continued, “Those they are sharing the money to, how far? What I always tell people to remember yesterday. A man is bad, a man is a crook, a man is a criminal, but it was that criminal, it was that crook who said come, take against all odds. If I hated the Ijaw people, I would not have conceded to it, and nothing would have happened, but because of my principle of living and letting live.
“If you watch all those around the governor, they are people who are natural ingrates. Only those who believe that they cannot appreciate and thank God for any good thing will associate themselves. I told the governor that all these things you are seeing are not good for you to face this crisis. But they told him you’re Governor, you have money. I agree. Money is not everything. All these people don’t have anything to offer. See where we are now. How far!”
