The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to resign his appointment, accusing him of interfering in the internal affairs of the ruling party and stoking political tension in Rivers State.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, Basiru said recent comments attributed to Wike against his person and office were “uncouth” and unbecoming of a member of the Federal Executive Council, especially over what he described as an innocuous clarification of party norms.
Basiru explained that his position—that sitting governors are the leaders of the party in their respective states and deserve due respect from party organs—was consistent with long-established APC practice. He expressed surprise that such a statement could provoke what he termed a tirade from the FCT minister.
“For the avoidance of doubt,” Basiru said, “our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our party (APC),” arguing that this strips him of the standing to intervene in the party’s internal affairs. He stressed that, as National Secretary, he is constitutionally mandated to protect the interests of the APC and its structures nationwide, noting that his responsibilities are not limited to his home state of Osun.
The APC chieftain also dismissed allegations attributed to Wike suggesting that he and other party leaders were scrambling for a purported N600 billion “largesse” in Rivers State. He described the claim as “cheap blackmail” and challenged the minister to substantiate the allegation, warning that failure to do so could lead to legal action.
Basiru further reacted to what he described as veiled threats from the former Rivers State governor, saying Wike was “overplaying his political card.” He invoked his history of pro-democracy activism, stating that he was among Nigerians who confronted military rule, “when the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.”
While acknowledging Wike’s public support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Basiru maintained that such support does not confer APC membership. “Millions of non-APC Nigerians also support Mr President,” he said, adding that Wike’s backing of the president does not entitle him to influence or destabilise the party’s structures in Rivers State.
The APC National Secretary warned that the party would not tolerate attempts to import what he described as the “spirit of the PDP” into its ranks, insisting that Wike’s actions amounted to an effort to sow confusion within the party.
Concluding his statement, Basiru said it was untenable for a minister serving in an APC-led federal government to use the leverage of that office to foment discord within the party. “The honourable thing to do,” he said, “is for him to resign his appointment as minister.”
The FCT minister has yet to publicly respond to Basiru’s latest remarks.
Read the full statement of the APC National Secretary below:
NYESOM WIKE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RESIGN AS MINISTER AND FACE HIS OBSESSION WITH RIVERS POLITICS
1. My attention has been drawn to the tirade of the Minister of the FCT against my person and my office as the National Secretary of the APC. This is as regards my position that all members of the NWC must accord any sitting Governor his due respect and that the Governors remain the leaders of the Party in their States. It is shocking that such an innocuous statement can elicit such uncouth responses from no less than a member of the Federal Executive Council.
2. For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party (APC) so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs our Party. And as National Secretary of the APC, I am imbued with the responsibility to protect the interests of the Party and all its members and structures. Hence, my comments regarding the affairs of the APC in Rivers State CANNOT be an undue interference in the affairs of Rivers State. As National Secretary, my activities cannot be confined to my home state, Osun State.
3. I also take exception to Wike reference to a certain N600 billion largesse in the State for which I and other APC leaders are scrambling. This is nothing but cheap blackmail which has become his stock-in-trade. My background, track-record is that of unquestionable intergrity and I challenge him to prove his allegations or we may meet in court.
4. As to his veiled threat against me, let me remind WIKE that he is not God and may be overplaying his political card. My faith is in God and will not succumb to cheap threats such as the one from WIKE. I am one of the young Nigerians that confronted Military rule, fighting for democracy, when the likes of Wike were nowhere in sight.
5. Let me also remind Nyesom Wike that his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, does not automatically make him a member of the APC. Millions of non-APC Nigerians also support Mr. President and his own is no different. His attempt to destabilise our Party in Rivers State will not be tolerated and he cannot bring the spirit of PDP into the APC.
6. Finally, my advice to Nyesom Wike is that he cannot be in the Federal Executive Council of an APC Government and be causing confusion within any organ or structure of the Party at any level, using the leverage of that same office. The honourable thing to do is to resign his appointment as Minister.
Signed Senator Ajibola Basiru Ph.D., BL
National Secretary, APC
