Makinde Pleads with Wike: ‘Please Don’t Put Fire in Oyo State’

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has made a heartfelt plea to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, urging him to spare his state from potential political upheaval.

Speaking at an event held in honor of Wike by the Ijaw Peoples Congress in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Makinde referenced Wike’s recent threats and expressed his concerns.

“I came to identify with my brother, the celebrant of today, the honorable minister of the federal capital territory and the immediate past governor of Rivers State,” Makinde stated. He humorously added, “When I showed up yesterday, I told him I brought a peace offering because he has been boasting that he will put fire in some states. I said, please, don’t put fire in Oyo State.”

The backdrop of this plea is a growing political rift between Wike and Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. In response to concerns regarding the potential for violence, Wike declared, “Nobody has the monopoly of causing violence.”

He clarified that while he believes in maintaining calm, he also asserts his power in the political arena.

“The mere fact that we choose to play according to the rule of law. To be calm and not to turn ourselves into where investors would run away, and that is what we will continue to do,” he emphasized.

Wike further addressed the notion that Fubara speaks for the entire Ijaw community amid their power struggle. “I have told people that nobody has a monopoly on causing violence. Ask them, all the Ijaw people in the House of Assembly were positioned,” he asserted.

The tension between Wike and Fubara has resulted in two factions within the Rivers House of Assembly, each aligning with their respective leaders.

Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, expressed concern over the division, stating that the party’s structure in Rivers would be handed over to Fubara.

Wike’s threats to “put fire” in states governed by his political rivals have not gone unnoticed. In a rebuttal, Mohammed remarked that he has “enough water to quench Wike’s fire,” signaling an ongoing battle of wills within the political landscape of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As political tensions rise, the ramifications of these statements and actions could significantly impact governance and party unity in Nigeria, leaving many to wonder if Oyo State will indeed be spared from the metaphorical flames.