From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Concerned Elders of Rivers State have said that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike, should tender an unreserved apology to elder statesman and former governor Peter Odili, his wife, and family members for disrespecting them.
The elders also demanded that Wike apologise to the people of Rivers for causing monumental embarrassment to the state.
They made the demands in a statement captioned “Nyesom Wike’s Remarks Against Dr. Peter Odili: Setting the Records Straight,” issued on December 30, 2024, with 16 signatories, including: former governor Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor Tele Ikuru, former PDP national chairman Prince Uche Secondus, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Austin Opara, Senator Lee Maeba, Senator Ngoji Denton West, and Abiye Sekibo.
The Concerned Elders were reacting to utterances credited to former governor and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, where he allegedly disrespected Odili, his wife, and children.
They said: “We, the Concerned Elders of Rivers State, issue this statement with a deep sense of responsibility and a commitment to uphold the values of respect, unity, and decorum that have long been the foundation of our society.
“It has come to our attention, again sadly, that the former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, through his words at an event in a church this week in Oroigwe, has directed insults against HE Sir Dr. Peter Odili, a former Governor of Rivers State and a highly respected national elder statesman of our dear country, Nigeria, and his family.
“Such behaviour is not only unbecoming but also stands in contrast to the time-honoured traditions of mutual respect, especially respect for elders and deference to wisdom and experience that we all hold dear in Rivers State.
“As elders, we believe in the power of dialogue and the importance of addressing grievances through constructive and respectful means. However, the act of disrespect towards elders is a serious matter that cannot be ignored.
“Consequent upon the foregoing, we demand that Nyesom Wike tender an unreserved apology to HE Dr. Peter Odili, his wife, and children for the magnitude of disrespect and abuse Nyesom Wike rained on them.
“He should also apologise to the people of Rivers State for the monumental embarrassment he is causing the state.
“As elders, we do not want to condescend to the low level of Nyesom Wike. As a person who holds a high public office, he is expected to be a peacemaker and role model, supposed to be a leader by virtue of his status as a former governor, holder of the national honour of the Commander of the Order of The Niger, Life Bencher, and a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We are deeply surprised that all these elevations mean nothing to him, and that is why it is important to address some of the issues he raised in the church at Oroigwe to enable the public to know the truth.”
According to the elders, “The only reason Nyesom Wike went berserk against Dr. Peter Odili is that Dr. Odili, in a statesmanly manner, advised him against the impeachment plot of the incumbent Governor of Rivers State, HE Sir Siminalayi Fubara, in a little over three months in office.
“When Nyesom Wike refused and continued to plot the destabilisation of the government, Dr. Odili took sides with the governor in the interest of the people of Rivers State. That is why Nyesom Wike found himself in the burning furnace like the proverbial child who found himself in the burning fire against his father’s advice to stay away from the furnace.
“Having said this, it is only proper for us at this point to set the record straight on the several baseless allegations Nyesom Wike made against Dr. Peter Odili, his family, and the Pamo University of Medical Sciences.
“It must be noted that as an elder and founder of the 1998 Restoration Team, which groomed almost all the current politicians in Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili has the right as a political father to call any of his erring political children, including Nyesom Wike, to order.
“Aside from being a governor for eight years, Dr. Peter Odili is an accomplished medical practitioner with a thriving medical practice even before he became governor. Today, he is the founder of the first private Medical University in Nigeria. Such a man does not need any ‘resurrection like Lazarus’ from anybody.
“At 76 years of age and having left office over 17 years ago as governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, with a high spirit of self-contentment, does not need any patronage from anyone given his accomplishments as a family man, successful professional, great politician, and a distinguished national statesman.
“Pamo University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), founded and solely funded by Dr. Peter Odili and his family, attracted the Rivers State Government to seek collaboration for the training of quality healthcare personnel to serve the health needs of the people of Rivers State. The support that Rivers State Government gave to PUMS is for the benefit of Rivers State and her people.
“The elders said Odili must be commended for his vision and not vilified, adding that PUMS, being the first private medical university in Nigeria, and its collaboration with the Rivers State Government has produced medical doctors and healthcare professionals who have been engaged by the Rivers State Government.
Speaking on Odili’s residence, the elders said Wike did not build any house for the elder statesman and his family as the FCT minister claimed.
They said Odili must be commended for the modest lifestyle he lives even after serving as governor of Rivers State for eight years.
“As a modest man, Dr. Odili went back to his house where he was living as a private medical practitioner. The house that the RSG built for Dr. Odili in Old GRA is not a favour from Nyesom Wike. It is the right conferred on him by law as a former governor.
“In fact, Dr. Odili was very reluctant to relocate from his old house to the one built by Rivers State Government because of his contented lifestyle and had to be persuaded by some of us to accept what was rightly his due by law.”
They alleged: Nyesom Wike is quarrelling with the appointment of Hon. Justice Mary Odili (JSC rtd.) as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt.
“In fact, this is one of the best appointments that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has made as Governor. If a Supreme Court Justice who rose from the ranks to the top does not qualify as Pro-Chancellor of Rivers State University, then who else?
“On the appointment of Odili’s daughter as a commissioner, the group continued that there is no law which says that the children of former governors or their wives should not hold public offices if they are qualified.
“If that is the case, then should we query why Nyesom Wike is a Minister and his wife is a Justice of the Court of Appeal? No, we shall not do so. It is good in his house, but he sees it as bad in Dr. Odili’s case. Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mrs. Adaeze Oreh (née Odili) is very competent to hold that office.
“All other children of Dr. Peter Odili who are holding positions are there purely on merit. Nyesom Wike’s attempt to divide the Odili family by falsely mentioning the nomination of his nephew is clearly in bad taste knowing that it was Nyesom Wike who rejected the nomination of the nephew and insisted that Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Opobo/Nkoro, and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas must have female commissioners. These were complied with.
“Nyesom Wike accused Dr. Peter Odili of ‘chickening out’ of the presidential race when he was told to step down in the interest of the party by President Olusegun Obasanjo. What this means is that he (Nyesom Wike) would disobey President Bola Tinubu if he were told to step down from any race the way President Olusegun Obasanjo directed Dr. Odili to do. Dr. Peter Odili did not chicken out.
“In retrospect, we commend the loyalty of Dr. Peter Odili who obeyed the call by the PDP to step down for Late President Musa Yar’Adua as the PDP presidential candidate in the 2007 presidential election to ensure North-South balancing. As a partyman and team player, Dr. Peter Odili courageously obeyed without pulling down the house or insulting other Nigerians, even though it was certain he would have won the primaries.
“When Dr. Peter Odili was also not chosen as the Vice Presidential candidate, he accepted his fate and rolled out the drums for his brother from the Niger Delta, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who emerged as the Vice Presidential candidate and later President of Nigeria without firing a bullet. It was Niger Delta’s gain which Dr. Odili represented at that time. This is the measure of a statesman and team player that is alien to Nyesom Wike. Therefore, it was not all about Dr. Odili but about the directive of his party for the stability of the nation.”