Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike said yesterday that Governor Siminalayi Fubara was fielded as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in last year’s general election to foster unity in Rivers State.
He explained that the decision was taken by him and other elders of the state to ensure harmony and sense of belonging to all the sections of the state.
Wike said if he had nominated a politician from his native Ikwerre ethnic group as successor, nobody would have stopped him, adding that he jettisoned personal interest in favour of unity and progress of the state.
The former governor spoke at a luncheon he organised in Port Harcourt to mark the New Year.
Wike said: “Felix Obuah was in my team as chairman of the party. My predecessor seized Obua’s property; everything he owned, land, schools and hotels. The wife cried to him, but he told his wife, ‘don’t worry, if it is the will of God, there is nothing you can do. He stood firm. They took everything he had.
“He was one of the frontrunners in 2023 governorship election. I told him in my house to step down; that he won’t run. He looked at me, but I say you won’t run. He said if that was what I am saying that he won’t run. But I say you will be DG, go and campaign for that election. I say you must be DG and he said if that is what you want, I will go and do it. And he did it. I see all kinds of things going on. They are talking evil about him. But he is here and he will still be here.
“Those who open their mouth to talk don’t know anything. I was the one who paid for the forms for anybody who wanted to run for elections as governor, House of Assembly and National Assembly. Let one person raise his hand and said he bought forms.
“We say we are all family members, no need for acrimony. Don’t spend your money, we will agree on who will run. The day we took the final decision, the chairman of elders council nearly collapsed. He is here. OCJ was there, Awuse was there. Omehia was there.
“He nearly collapsed. Why? He wanted a governor from the riverine area. When I looked at him, I say why would I allow this old man to just die. I say let’s not create the impression that there are people who want to monopolise power.
“Let’s allow everybody to be part of it because we belong to one Rivers State. If I had wanted, nobody would have stopped me. Nobody had what it takes to even near me.
“And to God be the glory, I don’t regret what I did and I will never regret what I did because I want the unity of this state for us to forge ahead. If I wanted Ikwerre man, nobody would have stopped me.”
