‘Impeachment is not a military coup,’ Wike opens up on Rivers Assembly’s move to sack Gov Fubara

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday warned against any attempt to tamper with the political structure in Rivers State.

He gave the warning at a closed-door meeting with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State in Abuja.

Mohammed was accompanied to the meeting by three other governors – Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Caleb Muftwang (Plateau) and Agbu Kefas (Taraba).

A crisis erupted in Rivers on Monday following an attempt by the state’s House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara for alleged gross misconduct.

Wike told the visiting governors that he would not be intimidated by anyone for his influence in Rivers or appointment by President Bola Tinubu as minister.

He stressed that the impeachment move was not a military coup but in line with the provision of the constitution.

The former Rivers governor dismissed as “absolute rubbish” rumours that the crisis was born out of his interest in the finances of the state.

He said: “Nobody can take away the political structure in Rivers; nobody can intimidate me. If I want to do something, I will do it.

“The impeachment is not a military coup, it is provided under the constitution. Also, I am not interested in all the rumours, money, this, and that. Rubbish. Absolute rubbish.

“I just left the office, how many months ago? And I am the FCT minister, so which money? But nobody can take away our political structure. No one.

“You cannot work, and people will begin to bring enemies, those who fought you when you were struggling for the person to be in office. Nobody does that.

READ ALSO: PDP governors convene meeting to reconcile Wike, Fubara

“I am not a political ingrate but don’t touch the political structure of the state. I will not shut my eyes.”

The minister thanked the governors for the visit and praised President Bola Tinubu for finding him worthy to serve in his cabinet.

Wike insisted that he was still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) working for Tinubu and not All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Forget about the Obidients and the Atikus who have lost and felt that I did not support them, and those that I revoked their Certificate of Occupancy.

“Oh! Wike did this; Wike did that because I didn’t support Obi, and didn’t support their own presidential candidate, and all of you just teamed up ‘Wike! Wike! Wike!’.

“I am not disturbed; I will do what is right; and my conscience is clear. I am not the person you think that you will now go to social media and say all kinds of things.

“You must be careful, I have the capacity to fight back”, he warned.

Earlier, Mohammed thanked the former governor for the willingness to resolve crises, noting that the forum waded into the matter because of the importance of Rivers to the party.

He also commended the Tinubu for appointing one of their own to serve in his government.

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