I hope that the successor of Wike realises the fact that no matter how the bird flies, the legs are pointing to the ground – Akpabio takes a swipe at Fubara and PDP
Senate President Godswill Akpabio yesterday criticized Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara over his handling of the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which has aligned him against Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, the Speaker, and a majority of the State House of Assembly members, as well as numerous stakeholders within their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at a public lecture and book launch marking Wike’s 57th birthday in Port Harcourt, Akpabio underscored the importance of forging strong relationships with the legislature. He said, “A wise governor or President must forge a close relationship with the legislature.”
Drawing on his experience as governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015, Akpabio explained how the legislative arm could destabilize an executive leader. “For those of you who may not understand politics, we were taught that the parliament can turn a woman into a man and a man into a woman. As a governor, my greatest fear was my House of Assembly,” he said.
Elaborating, Akpabio recounted his strategy of maintaining harmony with lawmakers during his tenure: “Any time I didn’t see [the Speaker] for a day, I would send somebody to his house to invite him to come and have lunch with me, and I used ideas to look at his face to know whether he was happy with me or not. The only place that can hurt a governor is the House of Assembly, and no court or democracy can stop that from happening.”
He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sustain a close relationship with legislative leaders, adding, “Any President that wants to survive like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must hold the Speaker and the Senate President very closely the way he is holding us. Recently he conferred on us GCON, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger. Whether he loved it or not, he did it.”
Akpabio questioned Fubara’s inability to gain support from some of the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule. “Despite all the resources at the disposal of Fubara, he had not been able to woo some of the 27 lawmakers in the camp of Wike,” Akpabio said, adding, “Sometimes I wonder, I would never be the governor, given the resources of Rivers State, and then I disagree with my House of Assembly and I am not able to poach at least one member out of the other group. If I do not do that, it means that there is something wrong with my political philosophy.”
“I do not know what is happening in Rivers State but I hope that the successor to Wike realises the fact that no matter how the bird flies, the legs are pointing to the ground” he added
He criticized what he called the politics of betrayal and treachery, noting its detrimental effect on governance. “We must try to stop this politics of betrayal and politics of treachery, because it does not allow for good succession,” he said. He emphasized the importance of sustainability in leadership, stating, “You cannot have sustainability in good policies and governance when the person taking over from you is interested in not destroying you alone but destroying everything that you built.”
He commended Wike’s contributions to the Federal Capital Territory and beyond, saying, “The multitude of people at this occasion is a testimony to the quality of life that Wike lives. Born in the tumultuous year of 1967 when the fabric of our nation was being tested in conflict, you emerged, not in the safety of calm waters but amidst the storm itself when Nigeria was just beginning the war. The war entered inside you—the war of transformation, the war of infrastructural renaissance, and the war of love for Rivers State.”
He concluded by commending Wike’s achievements, adding, “Your dedication to lifting communities as a governor, now as a minister, has left indelible marks on our nation’s history. The bridges you have constructed stand as testament to your commitment to progress and unity.”
Addressing criticism, Wike said, “I do not see anybody that will intimidate or threaten me. I have not seen that person. At the appropriate time, we will talk politics. Now is for projects and projects in the FCT.”