Resign As FCT Minister, Stop Interfering In APC Affairs’ – APC Warns Wike
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has issued a strongly worded response to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, calling on him to resign his ministerial appointment over what he described as persistent interference in the internal affairs of the ruling party.
In a statement released on Monday, Basiru reacted to what he termed an “uncouth tirade” by Wike against him and his office, following his assertion that sitting governors remain the political leaders of the APC in their respective states and must be accorded due respect by all members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Basiru expressed shock that what he described as an “innocuous statement” could attract harsh reactions from a member of the Federal Executive Council, stressing that Wike lacked the locus standi to meddle in APC affairs.
“Our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party (APC), so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of our Party,” he stated.
The APC scribe further maintained that as National Secretary, his responsibilities cut across all states of the federation and are not limited to his home state of Osun.
He insisted that his comments on Rivers State APC affairs were part of his constitutional duty to protect the interests and structures of the party nationwide.
Basiru also dismissed allegations by Wike that he and other APC leaders were scrambling for an alleged ₦600 billion largesse in Rivers State, describing the claim as “cheap blackmail.”
He challenged the FCT Minister to substantiate the allegation or be prepared to face legal action. “My background and track record are that of unquestionable integrity, and I challenge him to prove his allegations or we may meet in court,” he said.
Reacting to what he described as veiled threats from Wike, Basiru warned that the former Rivers State governor was “overplaying his political card,” noting that he would not be intimidated.
He recalled his long-standing involvement in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggles, adding that he was among the young Nigerians who confronted military rule when “the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.”
The APC National Secretary also clarified that Wike’s public support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not automatically confer APC membership on him. He cautioned the minister against importing what he called “the spirit of the PDP” into the ruling party or attempting to destabilise APC structures in Rivers State.
Basiru concluded by advising Wike to choose between his role in the APC-led Federal Executive Council and what he described as his “obsession” with Rivers State politics.
According to him, “the honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister” if he cannot desist from actions that allegedly cause confusion within the party’s organs and structures.