A former Minister of Communications and a major backer of Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the presidency, Adebayo Shittu, has described Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as a tactician, saying there was nothing wrong with the new romance with allies of Tinubu romancing the governor.
It was gathered that Governor Wike has in recent times been meeting with some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains loyal to Tinubu.
The Rivers State Governor had recently invited the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to inaugurate some projects in his state
Wike had also met with the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Reacting to insinuations that the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who is at loggerheads with Wike, may not be happy with the romance, Adebayo Shittu told The PUNCH that the former minister should be happy that someone like Wike was being linked to the APC.
“Nobody will stop Wike if he wants to come to APC. Again, you know Wike is a tactician. If I were in Amaechi’s shoes, I would see Wike’s coming as an opportunity to settle and reconcile with him. What he should be thinking of at that point is that with Wike coming into the party, will there be an in-fighting anymore?” he asked.
He debunked reports that Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, was responsible for the defection of Magnus Abe from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
According to the former Communications Minister, Tinubu could not be blamed for the longstanding crisis rocking the party in Rivers State.
“Is it not a stupid idea for anybody to suggest that Abe is not intelligent enough to take a decision on his own? There are certain things that sound silly to one’s hearing, except that it is always news to the media.
“Abe has been running a battle politically with Amaechi. Even at the last governorship primary, he didn’t win the ticket to fulfill his ambition. Tell me, does he need anybody to tell him the next step to take if he fails to clinch the APC ticket?” he asked.
“Is he (Tinubu) fighting Amaechi? Even when he alleged that some delegates were given bribes for vote-buying, did Tinubu say anything? That’s because he doesn’t want to join the fray. If you study Tinubu well enough, you will know that he doesn’t take issue with people. That’s why you see people who fight him coming back to him at the end of the day,” he said.
