The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taunted politicians who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the politicians who were now singing “on your mandate we shall stand” in support of President Bola Tinubu were nowhere to be found during the campaign period.
He made the remarks on Saturday during a thanksgiving service organised by the Chairman of the South-South Development Commission, Chibudom Nwuche, and his family in Ochiba community, Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The former Rivers State governor praised the people of Ahoada East and Ahoada West for standing firm with him in supporting Tinubu, saying their loyalty ensured the President’s success in 2023.
“You remember in 2023, when it was tough and many doubted Tinubu’s chances, so many people could not come out to vote. But here, we stood firm and said, ‘On your mandate, we stand.’ To the glory of God, we stood. Today, he is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Wike stated.
He made a veiled reference to the recent defection of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, suggesting his support for Tinubu was belated.
“All these people you see now singing ‘on your mandate we stand’, when they were needed most, they couldn’t. They couldn’t vote for Ahmed Bola Tinubu,” he said.
He further criticised politicians who seek personal gains by casting aspersions on him, adding that most projects commissioned by his successor were initiated and completed under his administration to ensure continuity.