Former Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Area in Rivers State, Chidi Lloyd, has faulted the call by the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, asking the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to resign.
Lloyd said such a call was misguided, as the power to appoint or remove a minister rests solely with the President.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when Wike, during an event in Rivers State, told Basiru to steer clear of the state’s political affairs following the APC scribe’s open expression of support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
In a swift response, Basiru accused Wike of being obsessed with Rivers’ politics and called on him to resign from his ministerial post to focus on the state’s affairs.
Reacting to the development, Lloyd, in an interview with Punch, dismissed Basiru’s remarks as politically motivated and lacking merit.
“He wasn’t the one who appointed the Minister of the FCT, and cannot ask him to resign. I wish he could have said so before the 2023 elections. I wonder how many votes he gave to the All Progressives Congress in the State of Osun,” Lloyd stated.
He went on to accuse Basiru of hypocrisy, suggesting that the APC scribe may have ulterior motives.
“You know, people forget easily. When they come to collect dollars, they forget where we are coming from. It’s normal, but I don’t want to believe that such a statement emanated from him. But it could be dollars, because for you to get the attention of the Governor of Rivers State, you must abuse Nyesom Wike,” he said.
He added, “He forgets how the person he is talking to now, who has become his friend overnight, emerged as governor.”
“Basiru Is A Busybody” — Wike Ally, Wodi
Also commenting, a staunch ally of Wike, Chimelem Wodi, said Basiru lacked the authority to demand Wike’s resignation, arguing that only the President could make such a decision.
“He has no right to say what he has said because he is not even active in his party. So, he has no such powers and I think he is trying to incur the wrath of Rivers people and well-meaning citizens of the state who collectively backed the FCT Minister to represent them,” Wodi said.
He added that President Bola Tinubu continues to hold Wike in high regard and that the FCT Minister remains one of the administration’s top performers.
“The FCT minister has not committed any crime, or whatsoever, that will make Mr President disqualify him. Mr President has on several occasions said the FCT Minister is a good man and a performer. Today, if you are talking about the best minister so far in terms of performance, Wike has done very well. So, I think the APC secretary is just a busybody,” he added.