Fubara vs Odili: Wike’s aide fires back at former Governor

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili, over remarks perceived as a jab at his principal.

According to reports, Odili had praised Governor Sim Fubara for preventing someone from turning the state into a “private estate,” a comment widely speculated to be aimed at Wike.

The remarks were made during an event in Port Harcourt on Friday, as stated in a press release by Fubara’s chief press secretary, Nelson Chukwudi. Odili, who served as Rivers State governor from 1999 to 2007, commended Fubara for his leadership and resilience amid political turmoil in the state.

Reacting to this, Olayinka, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed disappointment over Odili’s comments about Wike.

Wike’s aides also criticized Odili, accusing the former governor of abandoning statesmanship and descending into partisanship. They described his comments as unbecoming and a loss of the stature expected from a leader of his experience.

He wrote, “Read the comments made by the former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, today, and I can’t but be disappointed that someone who should be acting like an elder statesman can reduce himself to such ridiculous level of partisanship.

“Well, he will get his deserved response from the FCT Minister in due course.”