The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to immediately resign his ministerial position and focus on his political interests in Rivers State.
Basiru made the call in a strongly worded statement titled “Nyesom Wike Should Immediately Resign as Minister and Face His Obsession With Rivers Politics,” following what he described as repeated attacks by Wike against his person and office.
According to the APC scribe, his comments were in reaction to Wike’s criticism of his position that sitting governors must be accorded due respect within the party and recognised as leaders of the APC in their respective states. Basiru described it as shocking that such a “simple and innocuous” position could provoke what he termed “uncouth responses” from a serving member of the Federal Executive Council.
Basiru stressed that Wike is not a registered member of the APC and therefore lacks the standing to interfere in the internal affairs of the party. He said party records clearly show that the FCT minister is not an APC member, adding that his role as National Secretary obliges him to protect the interests of the party, its members and its structures nationwide.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our party and therefore lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of the APC,” Basiru said. He also rejected claims that his comments amounted to interference in Rivers State politics, noting that his national office is not restricted to his home state of Osun.
The APC National Secretary further dismissed allegations by Wike that he and other APC leaders were scrambling for an alleged N600bn largesse in Rivers State. He described the claim as “cheap blackmail” and challenged the minister to provide proof or face legal action.
Basiru also reacted to what he described as veiled threats from Wike, stating that he would not be intimidated. He said his faith was in God and reminded the minister of his own history as a pro-democracy activist during the military era.
He emphasised that Wike’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not automatically confer APC membership on him, noting that many Nigerians outside the party also support the president. Basiru warned that attempts to import what he called the “spirit of the PDP” into the APC in Rivers State would not be tolerated.
He concluded by stating that it was inappropriate for Wike to remain in the Federal Executive Council of an APC-led government while allegedly causing confusion within the party. According to him, the honourable option available to the minister is to resign his appointment.
The statement was signed by Senator Ajibola Basiru, PhD, BL, National Secretary of the APC.
