….says Wike’s threats will start a fight he cannot finish
By Haruna Salami
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Alex Kadiri has warned his party against actions that may set the country on fire.
Dr. Kadiri spoke against the backdrop of recent activities and utterances of the controversial Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike over threats of demolitions and revocation of properties in the FCT which may have heightened tension in the territory.
The former lawmaker who represented Kogi East senatorial district from 1999 to 2003 said as a senior citizen, he cannot see the “country going down the hill and I do or say nothing”.
“I worked for this party, but since we were given the victory, I’m not happy at all about the things happening.
According to him, when Abdullahi Adamu was removed or when he resigned as the national chairman, “at least what the party should have done is to look for somebody with some level of credibility to take over from him, you went to Kano to bring somebody who has this baggage of dollars on him and make him national chairman of our party”.
He said he wants his party to know that “Nigerians do not owe us any obligation, we should not be threatening them.
“The way Wike, the minister of FCT is talking down on people is bad. That is not how we won the election. May be that was how he won his own election in Rivers, but that is not how to win election across the country, you should be civil.
“Threatening people all the times, you will revoke this, you will revoke that, haba, that is not how to run governance. Unlike David Umahi in the ministry of works, he is working without talking. Wike is talking, doing nothing; everyday on television, I will demolish, I will revoke. At my age if I see things and I keep quiet God will never forgive me.
He said he watched Etsu Nupe on television talking about the demolition of the National Mosque in Abuja, trying to disabuse the minds of Muslims that it is a rumour, that the minister never said anything like that. He was smiling, very gentle, humane very civilised, but I can assure Nigerians and my party people that the next person that will discuss this issue will not smile like Yahaya Abubarkar. The person will not be urbane, the country will be on fire. Wike should not start a fight he cannot finish”.
Accordind to him, he wished he could be understood as he has tried to see Tinubu by himself one-on-one, but could not, adding “I’m good enough to publish it so that anyone who reads will know that this man had been struggling to see the President one-on-one.
He said he tried to reach Tinubu through all the people who were close to him, like Tanko Yakassai, Abiodun Faleke, Adeleke Mamora, former speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly and later minister to no avail.
“In Mamora’s case he even said he was going to make the arrangement in Abuja that Lagos was too rowdy. I said okay.
“Eventually when they said Tinubu wanted to see me, they said I should hold on when they arrived they will let me know. It was 1:00am. I waited with some people at his house. In my group that night, was former military secretary, General Patrick Akpa, Colonel Obanawa, Muhammed Abubakar Audu and several others.
When we got there, they opened the gate for us, when we came out of the car, Nuhu Ribadu and this Muritala were standing outside only to be told that Tinubu has now gone upstairs, that they are sorry, we should try tomorrow when they return from Jalingo.
“That was the last time anybody talked to me about Tinubu. No apologies, nothing and I was unable, despite all these efforts that I made.
“Now the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) is supposed to be my friend, but to even get to talk to George Akume now is impossible. I tried to go through those our normal friends they will tell me don’t worry, when I am there, I will call you”, adding “Alex Kadiri going through third party now to talk to SGF is unfair.
“This party was not brought into power by one man, may be some of them who were using Tinubu’s money can say that it is Tinubu that brought the party. I made an effort in my own corner of the country for the party and that is why I have the confidence to talk”, he said.
