In an explosive political clash, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a scathing attack on Dr. Peter Odili, the former Governor of Rivers State, accusing him of sycophancy and political opportunism. The remarks came after Odili praised Governor Siminalayi Fubara for surpassing the records of all previous governors of Rivers State, including Wike himself.
At a Special Thanksgiving Service held by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, on Sunday, Wike called out Odili for what he described as his constant flip-flopping and opportunistic behavior, casting a shadow on his reputation as an elder statesman.
Wike’s comments were a direct response to a speech made by Odili at a Christmas ballad held in honor of Fubara. During the event, Odili lauded the current governor for preventing a single individual from turning the state into a personal estate. Odili claimed that Fubara had emancipated the people of Rivers State, stopped an alleged attempt to privatize governance, and made civil servants and ordinary citizens happier.
But Wike wasted no time in firing back, highlighting Odili’s history of political maneuvering and calling his praise of Fubara hypocritical. “You know, I didn’t want to say anything at first. But someone called me last night and told me about what Odili had said. I had to read it for myself. And what I found was both surprising and disappointing,” Wike said in his address.
Wike proceeded to challenge Odili’s own record in office, pointing to what he sees as contradictions in Odili’s actions. “Between him and me, who has turned Rivers State into a personal estate?” Wike asked. He referenced Odili’s family’s involvement in government, including the appointments of his wife, daughter, and nephew, accusing the former governor of using his family to secure positions of power.
Wike’s ire seemed rooted in the history of his relationship with Odili, which he described as marked by political sycophancy. He recalled that when he was governor of Rivers State, Odili had heaped excessive praise on him, even comparing him favorably to all past governors of the state. “Odili said that no governor in the history of Rivers State had done better than me. And now, he’s claiming that Governor Fubara has already surpassed my record? What kind of elder statesman behaves like this?” Wike remarked.
The animosity between the two men appears to have reached a boiling point, with Wike accusing Odili of opportunism. Wike also referenced the political dynamics following Odili’s tenure as governor, noting that Odili had been sidelined during the administration of his successor, Rotimi Amaechi. Wike claimed that it was only through his intervention that Odili’s political influence had been revived. “I gave him life politically. I brought him back into relevance after he was out of power,” Wike said.
Wike continued, accusing Odili of being ungrateful for the political support he had received. “Remember PAMO University? Rivers State was sponsoring 100 students every year, paying at least N5 million per student each semester. And when Rivers people criticized me for supporting that project, Odili was one of those who was grateful for my help. But now, after all that, he’s reducing himself to a sycophant.”
The FCT minister didn’t hold back as he reflected on Odili’s shifting positions over the years. “He’s always changing his tune. He praised me when I was in power, and now, he’s praising Fubara. What can we learn from a man like this?” Wike said, his frustration evident.
The former governor’s praise of Fubara as a transformative leader was particularly hard for Wike to stomach. “Fubara has not even completed one year in office, and Odili is already saying he has surpassed all the past governors. What happened to his own legacy? What has he even done in his eight years as governor?” Wike questioned.
Wike also recounted a time when Odili had been overly effusive in his admiration for him, even going so far as to display Wike’s photos throughout his home. “Back then, my picture was everywhere in his house. The sitting room, the bedroom, even the kitchen. But now, all those pictures are gone,” Wike remarked, his tone tinged with bitterness.
The Minister’s comments have added fuel to the ongoing rift between the two political heavyweights. It seems that Wike, once Odili’s protégé, has now turned into one of his fiercest critics.
In closing, Wike suggested that Odili’s political motivations were not rooted in principle but in opportunism. “When I was working to determine who would succeed me as governor, was Odili there? No. He was already criticizing the governor we were preparing for. And now, he’s organizing Christmas Carol events for the very same governor he once opposed.”
Wike’s statement also alluded to Odili’s failed presidential aspirations, implying that the former governor lacked the political courage to challenge powerful figures like former President Olusegun Obasanjo. “He wanted to run for president but chickened out when Obasanjo said no,” Wike said. “Because of that, I never invited Obasanjo to Rivers State to commission any projects. I felt it would humiliate him.”
