Wike should watch his tongue, respect Fubara - VP Shettima

Nigeria Vice President, Kashim Shettima has asked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to be cautious of his words and respect Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers ste as the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Shettima's warning is coming on the heels of Wike running amock in Rivers State since the yuletide, quarreling and insulting everyone speaking contrary to his dictates.

Interestingly, Wike is not a member of the APC but of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while challenging Governor Fubara control of the party in Rivers state.

The Vice President’s message followed Wike’s recent media engagements in Rivers State, during which issues concerning party leadership were raised. Shettima clarified that within the All Progressives Congress (APC), the sitting governor of a state is recognized as the party leader in that state.

Speaking at an APC solidarity event in Enugu State, Shettima stressed his position as Nigeria’s Vice President and the party’s second-in-command, emphasizing that party hierarchy must be respected. He stated unequivocally that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State.

To further illustrate his point, Shettima cited examples from other states. In Borno State, he noted, the APC leader is the sitting governor, Professor Babagana Zulum. Likewise, despite Senate President Godswill Akpabio being the nation’s number three citizen, Governor Umo Eno remains the APC leader in Akwa Ibom State.

He also referenced Kaduna State, where Governor Uba Sani leads the party, and Enugu State, where Governor Peter Mbah heads the APC structure. According to the Vice President, this leadership principle applies uniformly across all states, including Rivers.

Shettima advised Wike to take note of this clarification to avoid unnecessary political tension. As of the time of filing this report, the FCT Minister has yet to respond to the Vice President’s remarks.