The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to desist from what he described as persistent attempts to destabilise the ruling party.
Basiru insisted that Wike should immediately resign his ministerial appointment if he could not stop interfering in the internal affairs of the APC.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the APC scribe said his reaction followed what he described as “a tirade” by the FCT minister against his person and office after he (Basiru) stated that sitting governors remain the leaders of the party in their respective states and must be accorded due respect by all party officials.
He expressed shock that what he termed an “innocuous statement” could provoke “uncouth responses from a member of the Federal Executive Council.”
Basiru maintained that it was incompatible for Wike to serve in the cabinet of an APC-led government while allegedly fomenting internal disarray within the party. “He cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the party at any level, using the leverage of that same office,” Basiru said.
He added that “the honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as minister.”
The APC national secretary further stressed that Wike lacked the standing to meddle in the party’s internal affairs, noting that the FCT minister is not a registered member of the APC.
“Our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our party, the APC, and therefore lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs of our party,” he said. Wike’s Warning
Earlier on Monday, Wike had warned Basiru to stay away from Rivers State politics, cautioning him against what he described as careless and provocative comments about the state.
The minister issued the warning during a thank-you visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he alleged that some political actors were exploiting the state’s resources and speaking recklessly about its affairs.
Wike’s remarks followed comments credited to the APC Vice Chairman (South-South), Victor Giadom, who reportedly referred to Governor Siminalayi Fubara as “the so-called governor” during a recent political outing.
Giadom was also quoted as saying that Governor Fubara could not secure a second term without Wike’s backing. Reacting to those remarks, Basiru had described them as unfortunate, insisting that the office of a sitting governor deserved respect irrespective of political disagreements.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, the APC scribe stated: “I find it unfortunate that a member of the NWC was referring to a governor in our party as a ‘so-called governor of Rivers State.’
The office of the governor is an exalted position and whoever occupies it must be respected, irrespective of political differences.”
Wike, however, responded with a stern warning, declaring Rivers State a “no-go area” for external political interference and cautioning that those who ignored the warning could face consequences.
“Take this message to your National Secretary: leave Rivers State alone. Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted. Be careful with the statements you make,” Wike said.
Basiru’s Counter-Response
In his response, Basiru said that as National Secretary of the APC, he was constitutionally empowered to protect the interests of the party and its structures nationwide. “My comments regarding the affairs of the APC in Rivers State cannot amount to undue interference. My responsibilities cannot be confined to my home state of Osun alone,” he said.
He dismissed claims that APC leaders were scrambling for a purported ₦600 billion in Rivers State, describing the allegation as “cheap blackmail.” Basiru defended his integrity and challenged Wike to substantiate the allegations. “My background and track record are of unquestionable integrity. He should prove his allegations or we may meet in court,” he stated.
He also reacted to what he described as veiled threats from the FCT minister, insisting he would not be intimidated.
“Wike is not God and may be overplaying his political card. My faith is in God, and I will not succumb to cheap threats,” Basiru said.
Basiru further noted that Wike’s public support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not confer APC membership on him.
“Millions of non-APC Nigerians support Mr President. His support does not automatically make him a member of the APC,” he said, warning that any attempt to import PDP-style politics into the APC would not be tolerated.