Amid a bitter impeachment crisis, a former governor breaks his silence with a fiery rebuke of the FCT Minister, accusing him of looting the treasury and destabilizing the state.
PORT HARCOURT – The political turmoil in Rivers State has escalated dramatically following a stunning, lengthy public rebuke by former Governor Peter Odili directed at the immediate past governor of the state and current FCT minister, Nyesom Wike. The intervention comes as the state House of Assembly, believed to be under Wike’s influence, moves aggressively to impeach the current governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
In a scathing statement that has gone viral, Odili, who governed from 1999 to 2007, dismantled Wike’s political persona, accusing him of orchestrating the current crisis solely because Governor Fubara stopped him from treating the state treasury as a “private estate.”
The Spark: A Battle for Control and Treasury
The crisis began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, with signs of a rift with his predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Tensions boiled over in 2025 when the State Assembly, dominated by Wike loyalists, initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara. Political observers have widely interpreted the move as a punitive measure for Fubara’s growing independence, particularly his refusal to allow continued control of state finances by Wike’s camp.
Odili’s statement is a direct response to what he describes as Wike’s “braggadocio” and disrespect. He frames the impeachment not as a constitutional exercise, but as a war of “political bandits” unleashed by a man bitter over lost access to public funds.
Odili’s Explosive Allegations
The former governor’s missive is remarkable for its detail and personal nature, pulling back the curtain on decades of Rivers politics. Key allegations include:
* Financial Liberation: Odili claims that since Fubara “cut off [Wike’s] monkey hands from the treasury,” the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has grown by over ₦100 billion, and Fubara has embarked on massive infrastructure projects without borrowing.
* Personal vs. Public Enrichment: He draws a sharp contrast between Fubara’s public projects and Wike’s tenure, accusing Wike of spending his first term acquiring “massive personal wealth” and only building flyovers in his second term to “fool and distract the people.”
* Historical Put-Down: Odili repeatedly questions Wike’s political origins, reminding him that he was “dug from the dustbin” and only rose to prominence through the patronage of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Odili himself. He mocks Wike’s claim of being a benefactor to the Odili family.
* A Defense of His Legacy: He forcefully defends his own governorship record, listing landmark projects like the Trans-Amadi and Omoku power plants (which he says were later sold), the new Government House, and the State Assembly complex.
“The Role of an Elder is Not to Take Sides with Evil”
Perhaps the most significant moment in the statement is Odili’s philosophical justification for his intervention. He states that he stands with Fubara and the people of Rivers against Wike’s “greed,” just as he once stood by Wike when he was governor.
“The role of an elder is not to take sides with evil,” Odili declared, positioning himself as a custodian of the state’s peace and dignity against what he calls a “disruptor.”
Implications for the Impeachment Crisis
Odili’s intervention is a seismic event in Nigerian politics. As a respected elder statesman and a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, his words carry immense weight. They:
1. Legitimize Fubara’s Stance: They provide a powerful narrative that frames Fubara as a liberator, not a rebel.
2. Isolate Wike: They publicly strip Wike of the veneer of a benefactor and recast him as a self-serving opportunist within the state’s political lineage.
3. Raise the Stakes: The personal and historical nature of the attack makes a quiet, backroom resolution less likely. The conflict is now framed as a moral battle for the soul of Rivers State.
The statement ends with a chilling warning to Wike: “You have disturbed Rivers State enough… But when Rivers people decide to cook for you …..”
As the impeachment process inches forward in the Assembly, the political temperature in Rivers State has been red-hot. Odili’s unprecedented broadside has not only intensified the crisis but has fundamentally changed its character, transforming it from a factional dispute into a historic clash over the state’s future and the accountability of its past leaders.
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