Some youths have staged a protest at the nationalsecretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanding the removal ofNyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over allegeddisrespect to party leaders. The protesters converged on the APC secretariat on Fridaywith placards bearing inscriptions such as “President Tinubu, sack Wike now”and “Stop disrespecting APC members”. Other placards read “No minister is above APC”, “APC no beWike property”, “APC must wrestle order”, “Wike, APC leadership is not yourmate”, and “Wike, no more political threats”. The protest followed a public disagreement between AjibolaBasiru, national secretary of the APC, and Wike over political developments inRivers state. Basiru had asked Wike to resign his appointment and focus onwhat he described as an “obsession” with Rivers politics. He said all members of the APC national working committee(NWC) must accord sitting governors due respect as party leaders in theirstates. Wike had cautioned Basiru to stay away from Rivers politics. “I want to say it here — take this message to the nationalsecretary to leave Rivers state alone,” Wike said during a stakeholders’meeting in Oyigbo LGA on January 5. “Go and ask those who have tried it before. Don’t take oursupport for Mr President for granted. You have to be careful with thestatements you make. “Today, you [Bashiru] are enjoying in Osun, you don’t knowthose who did the work. Now you open your mouth to talk about Rivers state.Anything you see, take it. “Carrying your hands to Rivers state, if they burn, don’tsay I burnt it. “I can challenge anybody; this state is a no-go area,whether you like it or not. Don’t dare. So, stop making unnecessary comments.” The FCT minister has since commenced moves against there-election of Siminalayi Fubara after the governor defected from the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December. Wike had accused Fubara of reneging on an agreement reachedbefore Tinubu lifted the emergency rule in Rivers.
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