4 days ago
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The Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, has acknowledged that the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo State, Anugbum Onuoha, is his “cousin.” He, however, said no one could influence Mr Onuoha’s decisions in Edo.
Mr Wike also said he told Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State that he will not support Asue Ighodalo, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next Saturday’s election in Edo.
“I told him (Governor Obaseki) I am not going to support Ighodalo,” Mr Wike stated on Friday in an interview on Channels television.
The minister said Governor Obaseki brought the PDP candidate to his house in Abuja two times and asked for his support, which he declined.
While serving as governor of Rivers State, Mr Wike was the chairperson of Mr Obaseki’s re-election campaign in Edo State in 2020.
The former Rivers governor recalled how a former inspector general of police ordered him to leave Edo State, where he was campaigning for Mr Obaseki’s second term, but he refused.
After winning the election, Mr Obaseki fell apart with Mr Wike. Mr Obaseki told Mr Wike then that the PDP was not his personal property and that “In Edo, we don’t accept political bullies and overlords.”
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Asked why he turned down Mr Obaseki’s request to support the PDP candidate, Mr Wike said, “The one I supported never helped me; rather, I was insulted.” This suggests that he turned down Mr Obaseki’s request based on his 2020 experience.
INEC REC
The chairperson of the PDP in Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemi, on Thursday, demanded the redeployment of the INEC REC in the state, Mr Onuoha, alleging that the REC is Mr Wike’s associate.
Mr Wike acknowledged that the REC is his “cousin”, but said that even the chairperson of INEC cannot influence the decision of the REC.
He reminded the Edo PDP chairperson that he (Mr Wike) played a role in his becoming the party’s chairperson.
“When his governor came to meet me to support Mr Ighodalo, was he there? They didn’t know that the REC was my cousin.
“When Mr Obaseki brought Mr Ighodalo to my house two times to support him, they didn’t know that the REC was my cousin. It is just today that they just knew that he is my cousin. He was posted more than one year ago.”
Mr Wike said after supporting Mr Obaseki in 2020, he (Wike) “became a stupid man” and added that he does not “like ingrate in life.”
He emphasised that he does not also support the APC candidate because he (Wike) is not a member of the APC.
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