Umar Sani, former Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-Vice President Namadi Sambo, has dismissed recent threats by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. Wike had claimed he could instigate crises in any state whose governor interferes in the politics of Rivers State, where he previously served as governor.
In an interview with Arise News, Sani labeled Wike’s threats as baseless and lacking substance. He argued that Wike, as merely an FCT minister, does not possess the authority or means to cause disruptions in other states.
Sani emphasized that only the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the power to initiate such actions, suggesting that Wike’s threats are mere bravado. “There is no way for anybody to say he can cause crisis in any state unless he is saying I will use the instrument of the federal government to cause crisis. Being merely a minister of the federal capital territory cannot allow him to instigate crises in other states,” Sani said. “He is not the commander-in-chief; he does not have the instruments to cause such crises. I don’t know what type of crisis he means.”
Sani urged the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to follow the lead of the Governors’ Forum and address the issues in Rivers State. He criticized the disruption Wike has brought to the party, stating that the PDP Governors’ Forum’s recent active involvement is a positive development, marking a departure from previous indecisiveness.
Sani also expressed support for the PDP Governors’ Forum’s decision to speak out against what he described as Wike’s “shenanigans.” He believes that this intervention will help correct the anomalies within the party. According to Sani, the PDP constitution clearly designates state governors as the leaders of their party in their respective states, underscoring the importance of their role in party leadership.
“The introduction of Wike’s shenanigans into the party is because, for the first time, the PDP governors’ forum has taken the initiative to speak the truth,” Sani remarked. “Previously, the governor’s forum was neither here nor there. Now that they have decided to weigh in, they will correct all the inherent anomalies.”
