The Nigerian Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at his former friend, the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.
Obaseki held several meetings with Wike, the then-governor of Rivers State, after he clashed with his newly founded party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
The second-term transition from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party was a difficult position for Obaseki. However, he approached his counterpart, Wike, for assistance.
Wike, on Sunday, said while speaking at a New Year luncheon he organized in his country home, Rumeuprikom, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, that Obaseki renegade in all the agreement made with him to pay the way for his second term.
Obaseki clashed with his former boss, Adams Oshiomhole, and was pushed out of the All Progressives Congress. He defected to the PDP, a party with an already enthusiastic candidate.
Wike said some PDP leaders came to him to back the governor’s second term, and they both agreed on how to move forward. For example, the PDP candidate supported by Dan Orbih was to be reimbursed for all the money spent, plus the provision to nominate four commissioners.
The FCT Minister said that Obaseki rescinded the agreement immediately after he won his second term election and started “peddling rumours of blackmail” against him.
He said, “It is not everything you invest that you will reap. Even established companies crumble. You cannot say I did this, but I am not benefitting. God knows why it happens the way it happens.
“What is important in life is to give God the glory that you are alive to see what is happening. When a man is dead, he doesn’t know what is happening.
“You will be able to advise your children and your friends. When the heat was on in Edo, this young man was a frontrunner in the Edo Governorship election.
“PDP leaders came to me in Port Harcourt from 6 pm to 6 am the next day. I told the young man with Dan Orbih to withdraw and not to run for the governorship. He was crying, and we agreed on what would be given to their group.
“He was to be refunded the money he spent and to get four commissioners, but not one was kept. We said okay, you would run for Senate in the next election. But not one was kept.
“But the next thing was blackmail, and Wike wanted to control this. But you didn’t know what Wike wanted to control when you came and held a meeting with me from 6 pm to 6 am. It was all about blackmail. That is what you see in politics.
“You must have shock absorbers. President Tinubu told me when we were meeting that politics and betrayal are the same mother and father. If you don’t want to be betrayed, don’t enter politics.
According to Wike, he has learned from President Bola Tinubu, who taught him that betrayal and politics can never be separated.
“So prepare yourself that it will happen. I am fully prepared because I know it is one of the things President Tinubu taught me. I am laying this foundation so that some of you who are worried should not be. That is life for you. You must prepare yourself to know that these things happen. I have preached and continue to preach for unity and for peace in this state.”