By Our Reporter
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has alleged that the real source of the disagreement between him and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is the latter’s failure to secure a ministerial appointment from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Wike made the claim on Monday while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, responding to recent allegations made by Makinde during a media interaction last week.
According to Wike, members of the G-5 group which included former governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State jointly approached President Tinubu over the issue. He said the president acknowledged that certain factors may not have been considered and assured them that the matter would be addressed.
“When we reached an agreement, Seyi’s main grievance was that he was not given a ministerial slot. You could clearly see the anger in him when he spoke,” Wike said. “We even asked him to calm down.”
Wike further recalled an incident following a reception organized by Rivers Ijaw leaders in his honour, noting that internal disagreements within the G-5 became public after Ortom suggested support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
He criticized Makinde for responding publicly to Ortom’s comment instead of addressing the matter privately within the group, describing the move as an indication of internal division.
Wike also took a swipe at Makinde’s oft-cited claim of earning his first $1 million at a young age, suggesting it still influences his reactions to political issues.
“Sometimes, having made that $1 million early in life affects how he reacts,” Wike said. “He forgets that Dangote was not the first person to make $1 million, yet he is the richest man in Africa today.”
The comments add to the growing public war of words between the two prominent political figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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