Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ascribed the withdrawal of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship race to an agreement with factions opposed to him to shelve his impeachment on the condition that he would not seek re-election in 2027.
Wike spoke yesterday in Abuja during an inspection tour of projects lined up for the third anniversary of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
He insisted that he was not surprised by Fubara’s withdrawal from the primaries, accusing his political protégé of betrayal and lacking principle by obtaining the nomination form in the first instance.
Wike stated, “I’m not surprised that the governor withdrew. In the first place, he ought not to have collected the form, because the agreement was reached that the impeachment should be dropped while he should also not talk about second tenure.
“I’m not surprised that he had to withdraw at that stage. But with collecting form first, he didn’t show sign of gentlemanliness. He didn’t show that sign and that was not expected.
“We thought that Mr. President had been intervening severally and pleading with the legislature not to continue with impeachment but what it is, he has withdrawn and somebody has emerged as a governorship candidate for the APC.”
The immediate past governor of Rivers State declared Hon. Kingsley Chinda, who emerged the APC governorship candidate, as a good product “that markets itself”.
He stressed that Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives, was quite experienced, having worked with the executive.
Wike described Chinda as someone, whose voice was audible when he was a minority leader on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wike declared the Renewed Hope City, Karsana, executed by Lubriks, as 98 per cent completed, while the Old Keffi Road, Dei Dei, which was being asphalted and fitted with street lights was also ready for commissioning.
He stated, “Then we now went to Airport Road to Kuje, which is a very fantastic job. I’m sure anybody who goes there will admire it and that is what is called governance. Very proud of the contractors, that is the Arab contractors. We are very proud of what they have done.”
