Latest news with #Wike
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'I no go contest for 2027, Tinubu go win'
Former govnor of Rivers State and di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike don confam say e no get plans to go against im oga, President Bola Tinubu for di seat of di presidency for 2027 as e confam say e no stop being a member of di opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In di build-up to di 2023 elections, Wike bin show interest, buy form to contest to become di PDP presidential candidate but e no win di party ticket. Former Nigeria Vice-President Atiku Abubakar win am and since den, Wike don dey very open, speaking against di party leadership and oda key members say dem dey wrong as dem decide to give dat ticket to di north. Since di defeat of di party for di 2023 election, di party don witness a lot of crisis, defections and in-fighting. For inside exclusive interview wit BBC Pidgin, Wike say di party no stand a chance for 2027 if dem no put dia house in order, even as e say e no get interest to run dis time around. "I no go contest again. I no fit contest against somebody wey I dey work wit. Who go win am except am? "You dey for opposition, opposition no dey show impunity, opposition no dey show arrogance, na ruling party dey do impunity and arrogance say we dey power. "Make I ask you, who dey PDP, Achike Udenwa, former govnor of Imo, e no get one Assembly member, e no get one National Assembly member, e no give im party 3% of di vote, e dey threaten, Saba Egu, former govnor Ebonyi, e no get one assembly member, e no get one national assembly member, you no produce govnor, e dey threaten, wetin you dey threaten, you dey empty. Wetin you dey threaten?" Wike tok as e comment about di crisis wey dey di PDP. E however insist say e no go defect from di party. "I no go fit do dat kain tin, I no be fear fear man, I be weak man? how I go build house, you go come come frustrate me, make I comot, who go comot, na you go comot, I no gree you spoil house wey I build, I go dey dia." 'I want peace but na Fubara hand e dey' On di ongoing crisis for Rivers state wey lead to di suspension of di Govnor, Siminalayi Fubara, Wike say, e dey out of im hands, e dey ready for peace but na di suspended govnor dey run di show. "Dat boy na my boy, my son how I go fight battle wit am? Di pipo wey I dey fight na pipo wey wan thief wetin dem no work. President call me say make we make peace, I say oga how you go tell me make I go make peace wen I no go go. If I no wan make peace, see wia e siddon here, I siddon, some govnors, one former govnor siddon. I tell am say, yam dey for your hand and di knife. Na you know how you want di peace. If you want beta peace, you take, if you want wayo peace, ok." Wike also counter allegations say e dey play dirty politics for im own selfish political interests. "Wetin you expect pesin wey hate you to tok? You want your enemies to praise you? If e praise you e never fail? Wetin I do for my own selfish interest? My interest be say you wan kick me out of politics I say I no go comot from politics, na my selfish interest? You wan take our sometin wey we don build for years, we say no, you fit carry your governance do, na selfish interest?. Wetin I do? Say I support Tinubu? I no tok am before say I go support Southerner? So wetin I dey do wey somebody go say e no know say na so I go do am. In any case, politics na wetin? No be interest? FCT IGR increase from 9 - 30 billion monthly Since e assume office as FCT minister, Wike don commission projects - rehabilitate roads, schools and invest in security. On di issue of generating funds to fund di projects, Wike say dem bin need to look inwards to generate more revenue. "I come here August 2023, dat time, wetin we dey get na between 8 and 9 billion every month, but I sidon wit my team, we say wetin 8, 9 billion go help us do, which job, our allocation from federal government na 1%. We come say we go block dis leakages for our revenue drive, we come dey serious, you fit dey hear say I revoke dis, I do dis and dat na to get our money back so we fit do di job we suppose do. As I dey speak wit you now, we dey hit 30 billion every month from 9 billion." Wike also address some pipo wey dey compare im work to dat of former FCT Minister, Nasir El Rufai "I no dey work make dem compare me to anybody, my own be say di President Bola Tinubu come say make I work wit am, I come see say e dey sincere for wetin e tok, e come give me every support wey pesin wey give you job, suppose give you, I come say true-true, dis man want make I support make I make sure say Abuja change. Na Nigerians dey judge, na dem dey see, I never live for Abuja before. I no dey come Abuja like dat. Dat time wey dem say El Rufai dey I be chairman of council, I no dey come Abuja, e go hard me to come dey tok about comparison but all I know be say dem say El Rufai try.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Post falsely claims video shows suspended Nigerian governor apologising to predecessor
'Jubilation in River state as Governor SIM Fubara apologize to Nysome wike last night as they both finally reconcile back (sic)', reads the caption of a Facebook video published on April 15, 2025. Shared more than 800 times, the video shows Fubara speaking to the crowd with Wike beside him. The post was published by an account called 'Agozi commedy'. A review of the account shows it posts political video content, mostly of Tinubu and Peter Obi, the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate. Fubara was elected governor of Rivers state in March 2023, succeeding Wike, a lawyer who currently serves as the minister in charge of Nigeria's capital, Abuja (archived here and here). Shortly after Fubara's inauguration, he became embroiled in a battle with his predecessor over control of the state (archived here). The tussle culminated in a failed impeachment attempt and a dispute with state legislators, which resulted in the demolition of the state assembly complex (archived here and here). In March 2025, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers state and suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the State Assembly for six months. He subsequently appointed Ibokette Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the state administrator for the period of Fubara's suspension (archived here). The decision sharply divided opinion in the country, with critics highlighting the president's disavowal of a similar emergency declaration by the federal government in the past. In April, Fubara reportedly visited Wike in Abuja to seek reconciliation, days after local media said he met Tinubu in London over the protracted political crisis in the state (archived here and here). However, the video in the Facebook post does not show Fubara apologising to Wike. Using Google Lens to conduct reverse image searches on the video keyframes, AFP Fact Check traced the original to a YouTube video uploaded on March 24, 2023 — several years before the two men fell out (archived here). The video is titled: 'I Dedicated My Victory To Wike And For The Unity Of Rivers State- Fubara Declare.' In the clip, Fubara is heard thanking Wike and other political allies for their support and effort in canvassing for votes that helped him coast to victory in gubernatorial elections held on March 18, 2025. A comparison of the two videos shows the footage is the same. Speaking into a microphone, Fubara says: 'We stand for something, the unity of Rivers state, the progress of Rivers state, the continuation and consolidation of the new Rivers vision and we are going to work with everybody who believes in the vision and continue to bring better lives, good services, protection of the dignity of every Rivers resident, protection of integrity of this state in all phases and make sure we continue to defend our party in the state.' AFP Fact Check previously debunked claims about the power struggle between Fubara and Wike here and here.
AFP
15-05-2025
- Politics
- AFP
Post falsely claims video shows suspended Nigerian governor apologising to predecessor
'Jubilation in River state as Governor SIM Fubara apologize to Nysome wike last night as they both finally reconcile back (sic)', reads the caption of a Facebook video published on April 15, 2025. Image Screenshot showing the false post, taken May 13, 2025 Shared more than 800 times, the video shows Fubara speaking to the crowd with Wike beside him. The post was published by an account called 'Agozi commedy'. A review of the account shows it posts political video content, mostly of Tinubu and Peter Obi, the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate. Protracted power struggle Fubara was elected governor of Rivers state in March 2023, succeeding Wike, a lawyer who currently serves as the minister in charge of Nigeria's capital, Abuja (archived here and here). Shortly after Fubara's inauguration, he became embroiled in a battle with his predecessor over control of the state (archived here). The tussle culminated in a failed impeachment attempt and a dispute with state legislators, which resulted in the demolition of the state assembly complex (archived here and here). In March 2025, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers state and suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the State Assembly for six months. He subsequently appointed Ibokette Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the state administrator for the period of Fubara's suspension (archived here). The decision sharply divided opinion in the country, with critics highlighting the president's disavowal of a similar emergency declaration by the federal government in the past. In April, Fubara reportedly visited Wike in Abuja to seek reconciliation, days after local media said he met Tinubu in London over the protracted political crisis in the state (archived here and here). However, the video in the Facebook post does not show Fubara apologising to Wike. Old clip Using Google Lens to conduct reverse image searches on the video keyframes, AFP Fact Check traced the original to a YouTube video uploaded on March 24, 2023 — several years before the two men fell out (archived here). The video is titled: 'I Dedicated My Victory To Wike And For The Unity Of Rivers State- Fubara Declare.' In the clip, Fubara is heard thanking Wike and other political allies for their support and effort in canvassing for votes that helped him coast to victory in gubernatorial elections held on March 18, 2025. A comparison of the two videos shows the footage is the same. Image Screenshots comparing the Facebook post (left) and the original YouTube video Speaking into a microphone, Fubara says: 'We stand for something, the unity of Rivers state, the progress of Rivers state, the continuation and consolidation of the new Rivers vision and we are going to work with everybody who believes in the vision and continue to bring better lives, good services, protection of the dignity of every Rivers resident, protection of integrity of this state in all phases and make sure we continue to defend our party in the state.' AFP Fact Check previously debunked claims about the power struggle between Fubara and Wike here and here.
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wike give conditions to forgive Fubara, five oda tins FCT minister tok for media chat
Di current Nigeria minister of di Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former govnor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, don tok say im go let go of di wrong tins wey im political godson and successor Siminalayi Fubara don cause if e come ask for forgiveness. Wike tok dis one during one monthly media chat wey im do wit journalist for Abuja. According to di former Rivers state govnor, e say im go 'sincerely' forgive Fubara if e come beg for forgiveness for im hand. Wike and Fubara na two political father and son wey don look each oda eyes as dem both dey struggle for who go kontrol di policial and economic structures for Rivers State. For January 2024, di Supreme Court bin confam Fubara as Rivers State govnor afta e dismiss di appeal wey Tonye Cole of di All Progressives Congress file ova di 18 March 2023 governorship election. Since dat time, Fubara neva rest as e dey face one wahala to di oda as govnor. Key takeaways 'I bin want outright removal of Fubara' FCT minister say wetin e want na di outright removal of Fubara comot for office as Rivers govnor, instead of di suspension wey dem sama am. Wike say President Bola Tinubu do di to declare a state of emergency for Rivers state. "As a politician, I no dey happy wit di declaration of Emergency Rule for Rivers state. I want di outright removal of di governor (Fubara)." We dey update dis tori
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Police use tear gas pursue women wey block road as FCT minister bin dey expected for Alabama inside Rivers state
Police use tear gas puruse some women wey go block di road to Abalama, one community for Asari-Toru local goment area of Rivers State For southern Nigeria. Reports say di protesting women wey wear black cloth and tie white cloth round dia head block di road as di arrival of di FCT Minister Nyesom Wike bin dey expected for one grand reception wey some of im supporters for Kalabari land dey hold for am for Community Secondary School field Abalama. Di women dey react to di alleged insult wey dem claim say di FCT Minister do to Ijaw pipo for one interview wey e grant for Abuja wia e call ijaw pipo 'minority of minorities' on Wednesday 12 March 2025. Dis na as di FCT Minister wey be di immediate past govnor of Rivers State also don dey in a political crises with im successor, Govnor Siminalayi Fubara, wey be Ijaw for a while now. Earlier on, di grand reception for Wike bin don dey cancelled by di traditional institution to avoid possible break down of law and order becos di Eastern zone of di Ijaw Youth Congress IYC bin don also call for emergency meeting for di same venue, Community Secondary School field Abalama, wia di grand reception suppose hold. For statement signed by seven Kalabari traditional rulers led by HRH, King Lawrence O. O. Odum (Odum Barboy IX), Amanyanabo of Bakana and Chairman, Degema Area Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, di Forum of Traditional rulers of Kalabari Ethnic Nationality cancel any activity dia. Dem call on di state, di govnor and heads of various security agencies for di state to stop a potential violent clash for Kalabari land between two opposing groups wey fit lead to bloodshed. "We dey concerned say di clash of venues for di planned events by di two opposing groups, if not addressed, fit cause a possible breach of peace and order for di area. Dis fit potentially threaten di existing peace for Abalama Community and di rest of Kalabari land. Di Traditional Rulers of di Kalabari Ethnic Nationality therefore appeal to both parties to relocate dia events elsewia, possibly outside Kalabari land, to stop a possible violent clash for di area." Di statement bin tok. Despite dis, organisers of di grand reception for Wike still go ahead with di occasion before di women protesters go block di road. Meanwhile, di FCT Minsiter Nyesom Wike land Abalama community for di thanksgiving and grand reception wey im supporters, di N.E.W. Rivers Associates, organise for am and e bin address dem.
