The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has mocked some of his adversaries describing them sarcastically as notorious pretenders making the Guinness Book of Records under false pretences.
Wike spoke at the 60th birthday celebration of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South South, Chief Victor Giadom, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend.
Wike at the event, which attracted leaders across party lines, said Giadom was not a pretender and was not fashioned like some persons, who failed to reveal their true identities as snakes.
The former Rivers Governor said, “Even though we were of different parties, Victor had never gone on television to abuse any of his friends. He doesn’t allow politics to be a wedge between him and his friends. He plays politics and still remains with you.
“Victor is someone who will tell you he will be with you and he will be with you. Victor is not a pretender. He is not one of those who have made the Guinness Book of Records as pretenders. There are those who had made the Guinness Book of Records by pretending. Nobody knew that they were snakes.
“Victor could tell you I will not do this and he will not do it. He will tell you I will do this and he will do it. I know his children and his wife. He has been my good friend and I like to associate with people who remember tomorrow. I like who will not forget when things were not good to them. Victor is not somebody who gives excuses”.
Wike insisted that since his days as Obio-Akpor Local Government Chairman, he had known Giadom as a grateful person.
He said, ” Victor is not an ungrateful person. He is not an ingrate. He remembers those who stood by him and who will stand by him. When I was Chief of Staff, Victor became the chairman of Gokana Local Government. He left us and went to the other side.
“Unfortunately for him, since he left us he has not won any election again. It is on record since 2015, Victor had not won any election. But because he came to us again in 2023, he now won an election. Victor remembers his friends. I thank God Almighty for what he has done for his family.”
Wike emphasised that he remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite that his lawmakers in the state had joined the APC.
He said as a PDP member, he had defeated Giadom many times in elections, but said their political differences would not stop him from identifying with the APC chairman.
“He belongs to the APC, I belong to the PDP. I am a member of PDP even though my Assembly members are APC but I am a good member of PDP. I have come here to identify with him. I have defeated him but it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t come and celebrate with him.”
Wike congratulated Giadom for attaining 60 years of age and prayed to God to grant him more fruitful years.
In his remarks, the Vice-President, Kassim Shettima, who was represented at the event by Dr. Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement, Office of the Vice-President, commended Wike and others, who worked in Rivers to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu victory in the last election.
Acknowledging the hardship, Shettima appealed to the people to exercise a little patience insisting that President Tinubu was moving in the right direction.
He said for the first time, the country was confronting its real problems under Tinubu insisting that Nigeria had been mismanaged for a long time.
Shettima said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is today the President of the country. We are quite happy for the support we got from here. It is true that times are difficult everywhere. But I appeal that we have a little patience because for the first time Nigeria is actually challenging the problems.
“Nigeria has been mismanaged for quite a while. It is time to make it right. It is true that there has to be sacrifice for anything that is going to be good. Inflation that is biting the world round is not just in Nigeria.
“What is happening is a call to service. We need to raise our productivity and the moment we do our nation will be respected. I assure you that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going in the right direction and will deliver all his promises.”
Other dignitaries, who graced the occasion were the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Ganduje; APC national and state leadership; Governor of Cross Rivers State, Bassey Edet Otu; Minister of Petroleum (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule and other Assembly members, senators, members of the House of Representatives, traditional rulers among others.
