The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, Ph.D., has launched a strong rebuttal to recent comments attributed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, calling on him to resign from the Federal Executive Council and desist from what he described as an unhealthy obsession with Rivers State politics.
In a statement issued on Monday, Basiru reacted to what he termed a “tirade” by Wike against his person and office, following Basiru’s position that all members of the National Working Committee of the APC must accord due respect to sitting governors, who he said remain the leaders of the party in their respective states.
Basiru described it as shocking that what he characterised as an “innocuous statement” could provoke what he called uncouth responses from a serving minister of the Federal Government. He said such conduct was unbecoming of a member of the Federal Executive Council.
Clarifying his position, the APC National Secretary stated that available party records show that Wike is not a registered member of the APC, and therefore lacks the standing to intervene in the internal affairs of the ruling party. He stressed that as National Secretary, he is constitutionally empowered to protect the interests of the APC, its members, and its structures across the country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our party, the APC, and therefore lacks the locus to dabble into our internal affairs,” Basiru said. “My comments regarding APC affairs in Rivers State cannot be construed as undue interference. As National Secretary, my responsibilities are national in scope and not limited to my home state of Osun.”
Basiru also dismissed Wike’s reference to an alleged N600 billion largesse in Rivers State, which the minister reportedly claimed APC leaders were scrambling to access. He described the allegation as baseless blackmail and challenged Wike to substantiate the claim.
“My background and track record are of unquestionable integrity,” Basiru said. “I challenge Minister Wike to prove his allegations. Failing that, we may be compelled to seek legal redress.”
Responding to what he described as veiled threats against his person, Basiru warned that Wike was overestimating his political influence. He said he would not be intimidated, adding that his political convictions were shaped during Nigeria’s struggle against military rule.
“I am not afraid of cheap threats,” he said. “My faith is in God, not in men. I was among the young Nigerians who confronted military dictatorship and fought for democracy when some of those now issuing threats were nowhere in sight.”
Basiru further emphasised that Wike’s public support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not translate into membership of the APC. He noted that millions of Nigerians who are not members of the party also support the President, insisting that Wike’s position is not exceptional.
He accused the former Rivers State governor of attempting to destabilise the APC in Rivers State, warning that such actions would not be tolerated. According to him, the APC would not allow what he described as the “spirit of the PDP” to be imported into its internal processes.
In his concluding remarks, Basiru advised Wike to make a clear choice between remaining in the Federal Executive Council of an APC-led government and engaging in activities that, in his view, undermine the party’s unity and structure.
“He cannot continue to sit in the Federal Executive Council of an APC government and at the same time cause confusion within the party using the leverage of that office,” Basiru said. “The honourable thing for him to do is to resign his appointment as Minister.”
The statement was signed by Senator Ajibola Basiru, Ph.D., BL, National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress.
