By Deborah Nnamdi
The former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said that former Governor Peter Odili will not be able to get to his level of attainment if he remains a sycophant.
Wike disclosed this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka in his official X.com handle on Sunday.
Recall that the former Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, had commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his boldness in resisting Wike’s alleged attempt to control Rivers State as a private estate at a Christmas night of songs organized in honor of Fubara and his family, on Saturday.
Odili also lauded the governor’s fortitude in confronting what he described as an unnecessary but fierce political battle waged by Wike.
In response, Wike said: “You spent eight years as governor, and someone who hasn’t spent one year has surpassed your records; what manner of elder talk like that? Is that what an elder statesman should be known for?
“When I was governor, my pictures were everywhere in his house in the sitting room, bedroom, kitchen, and even in the toilet, my picture was everywhere. But today, all the pictures have been removed.”
“What can I learn from this kind of elder? What kind of advice can one get from him? This moment, you are saying something; the next moment, you are saying something else.
“You see, if your children begin to ask you, is this not the same man you were praising before? What would you tell them?”
“When I was plotting who will be governor after me, was he (Odili) there? Then, he was complaining about this governor, saying that he couldn’t stand before the public to talk. But today, he is organizing Christmas Carol for the same governor he was against then.
“He has forgotten all that he said in the past. I named this after you, I named that after your wife. What have I not done?
“You said we should not be part of the government, we have left. We are managing, you have taken assembly money, they are not dying of hunger and they will not die of hunger. We are okay. I’m focusing on my job in Abuja and all these sycophancy won’t take him to the level I have attained.
“This is a man who wanted to run for president then, he didn’t have the balls, he chickened out. Simply because Obasanjo said no, he would not contest, he ran away. Because of him, I never invited Obasanjo to Rivers State to commission projects. I felt it would humiliate him.” he stated.
