Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed a strain in his relationship with his political mentor, Peter Odili.
Wike, now serving as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), cited “political differences” as the cause during a conversation with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday.
Wike who governed the oil-rich South-South state from May 2015 to May 2023, previously hailed Odili, who held the governorship position from May 1999 to May 2007, as his political guide.
However, Wike admitted to a cooling in their relationship, stating, “Politically, we don’t have good relationship. We don’t work together.”
Explaining further, Wike mentioned that both he and Odili made different political choices, indicating a shift in their alliance. Despite this divergence, Wike acknowledged Odili as a fatherly figure.
While the exact reasons behind the rift remain unspecified, observers speculate it may stem from the tension between Wike and the current Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who faces potential impeachment.
Beyond Boders also learned that Wike criticized PDP leaders who endorsed Fubara, dismissing them as “political buccaneers” and asserting their irrelevance within the party.
Wike particularly targeted Abiye Sekibo, Uche Secondus, Celestine Omehia, and Austin Opara, labeling them as expired politicians undeserving of the title “elder statesmen.”
He emphasized Secondus’s suspension from the PDP, asserting his expulsion from the party.