The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the tension between him and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde began after Makinde was denied a ministerial position in President Bola Tinubu’s administration
Wike spoke about the strained relationship during a media briefing on Monday, shedding light on the underlying political issues within the G5 group—a coalition of former and serving governors that collaborated during the 2023 elections.
According to Wike, the disagreement arose when Makinde’s nominee failed to secure a ministerial appointment despite prior understandings within the group.
“What we are dealing with today’s problem is that he was not given any ministerial slot,” Wike said. “Even when he was saying it, we could see the anger. He didn’t need to tell anybody, we could see it. We told him, ‘calm down.’”
The former Rivers State governor said efforts were made to pacify Makinde and clarify the circumstances surrounding the appointments, including visits to President Tinubu.
“We went back home and explained why we went to see the President. We told him, just take it easy. There are certain factors you may not have considered. However, something has to be done,” Wike stated.
Despite these efforts, Wike claimed Makinde seemed to have “already made up his mind,” making reconciliation challenging.
Recalling an earlier incident, Wike highlighted what he saw as a reflection of Makinde’s temperament. “I remember when the Rivers State Government held a reception for me. The former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, spoke and said they were going to support the President for a second term,” he said.
“But Seyi Makinde, the next day, replied, questioning why he would say such a thing. I called him and said even if Ortom said so, he didn’t need to go that far. All he could have said was, ‘Let’s call a day; it’s too early for you to make that kind of statement.’”
Wike compared Makinde’s reaction to someone who achieved success too quickly and lost patience. “Sometimes when you make your first one million dollars, you react too early. You forget that Dangote was not the fastest to make one million dollars, but today, he’s the richest man in Africa,” he said.
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, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the tension between him and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde began after Makinde was denied a ministerial position in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.){kind=link}