Edith CHUKU
The immediate past governor of Rivers State and FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, has built a reputation for himself as a blunt, outspoken politician who frequently makes public statements and denies them whenever it suits him.
Wike’s incessant denial of public statements, has made him one of Nigeria’s most consistently inconsistent public figure.
A review of his political career, especially between 2022 and 2024, reveals a recurring pattern of declarations that were later reversed, abandoned, or contradicted by his own words and actions.
Wike could make comments on national television, and within hours, deny or amend what he said earlier. He knows how to contradict himself. He does so graciously and seamlessly.
Even though the story has spread throughout the media space, as long as it does not favour his present political stand, Wike’s pattern of denial will be activated.
Many critics believe that the FCT minister’s fallout with key figures like Senator John Azuta Mbata, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, especially his wife who contributed to Wike’s political career-Dame Patience Jonathan, Dr. Peter Odili’s family among several others, contradict his earlier vow. This has become Wike’s style and hallmark,
For instance, in September 2018, Wike vehemently condemned the scourge of godfatherism in Nigerian politics.
Then, as Rivers State governor, he advised his Lagos counterpart, Akinwunmi Ambode, to reject godfatherism in his state and prioritise the interest of his state over those of Bola Tinubu, who was just a kingmaker in the south-west, and largely regarded as the godfather of Lagos politics.
His words: “If it is correct that the godfather is against Ambode, I will tell him (Ambode) to resist it. I will tell him to promote the interests of his state,” Wike said on The Osasu Show.
“Godfatherism is not good. It negates development. No more godfather politics in Rivers State. We are not in Lagos state. Rivers state will not accept godfatherism. My concern is to do well for Rivers state.”
Fast-forward to 2023, the same Wike who claimed godfatherism would not be tolerated in Rivers, engaged his political godson, Fubara, in a supremacy battle over loyalty and political structures, leading to Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in the oil-rich state.
On May 29, 2023 when he handed over power to Fubara, he announced to the crowd that Fubara was his leader. In fact, he told everybody to see the governor as such and warned against any attempt to challenge the governor’s authority as their leader. He had publicly declared Fubara as the political leader of the state, stating that power had shifted and that he would no longer interfere in state politics.
Months later, things changed. He stopped seeing Fubara as his leader, neither did he feel comfortable that people referred to the governor as their leader. He publicly challenged Fubara’s suspected actions towards taking possession of his structures. That was the genesis of his face-off with Fubara. He desire was for everyone to see him as the leader. Of course, Fubara still calls him his leader till date.
A few weeks after, Wike openly reasserted control, issuing directives, backing lawmakers against Fubara, and publicly undermined the governor’s authority, even his allies attempted impeachment moves against the governor. Wike is still seen as the de facto political boss. Members of the state house of assembly are loyal to him. Local government chairmen in the state are loyal to him. He commands more loyalty from politicians in the state than the governor. Or so it seems.
In August 2022, Wike, as governor described Odili as a “book” and a “school” for Rivers’ politicians, during Odili’s birthday celebration.
Almost in every political gathering, the FCT minister would hail Odili and his wife, Mary. He even made a vow never to abandon them or do anything that would hurt them. even if it means giving up his then presidential ambition.
His words: “Any day that I will make Dr Odili and his family cry, God don’t allow me to grow. These people suffered blackmail, everything because of people like us. Sir, (referring to Mr Odili,) I will never allow you and your wife to cry. I will never do it. Some people said I want to be president. Yes, but nobody in this country can cause me to abandon you because I want to be president. Take your president and go. I will never abandon you and your family.
“Today, I am a governor. Where would I have been but for you and your wife? There is no standing politician today in this state from 1999 to today that he did not make him. Not one. There is nothing as appreciating people who have, in one way or the other, contributed to your growing. Today, we are this, we are that, because somebody was responsible for it.”
Same Wike while speaking with reporters on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, described Odili and other PDP leaders as “expired and irrelevant politicians”, saying he kicked them out of the party.
He stated this while affirming that his relationship with Odili, whom he referred to as his political father had soured. “As it is today, politically, we don’t have a good relationship. We don’t work together. There are some political differences. For me, we have finished with this stage. It does not mean that in the next stage, you will be in the same camp. No, he took a decision. I took a decision.”
After leaving office in 2023, Wike publicly stated that he would not accept any ministerial appointment, portraying himself as done with federal executive roles.
In August 2023, Wike accepted appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under President Bola Tinubu of the APC.
The FCT minister had repeatedly declared himself a loyal PDP member who would not leave or betray the party, yet during the 2023 elections, he openly worked against PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, mobilising support for APC’s Bola Tinubu instead. Today, he leads a faction of the party and presides over matters when his faction meets.
Most recent was his altercation with some officers of the Nigeria Navy, over a disputed parcel of land, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, where he called their leader, Lieutenant A. Yarima, “a big fool”.
The incident happened at Abuja’s Gaduwa District as armed military officers, allegedly acting on the instructions of retired Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, resisted efforts by Wike to halt an unapproved development on a disputed parcel of land.
Three days after, Wike held a press conference saying he was simply misinterpreted.
According to him, “I wouldn’t have called a military personnel a fool. Some people said I said the boy is a fool. What I meant is you cannot carry out an illegal order. That is what I meant. I didn’t say, ‘Military, you are a fool.’ I couldn’t have said that.”
What a man!
