Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has alleged that he was nearly assassinated while working as the Chief of Staff for his predecessor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, in 2007.
Wike, who is a Presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the disclosure on Tuesday evening while speaking as a guest on Channels Televison’s programme, Politics Today.
He explained that power should not be given on a platter of gold, without responsibility.
“If you remember, when I was the Chief of Staff, on the 3rd of December, 2007, I was nearly assassinated. I was nearly assassinated on December 3rd, 2007 if I can remember vividly.
“Even at that point, I was a threat unknown to me … I’ve never one day said I want it on a platter of gold, never! In fact, when you give people things on a platter of gold, it doesn’t work well.
The governor also described the current system under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari as failure, noting that a group of people came together and gave the power to someone who he said was not ready to serve the country.
“Power is not given. Nobody is going to give you presidential power on a platter of gold.
“Take, for example, President Buhari, people were saying, ‘give it to him, give it to him, he’s the messiah,’ now look at what happens….
“That period they came to deceive Nigerians that ‘this is the only man who can solve the problems, this is the only man who has the key to Nigeria becoming one of the greatest countries’ and Nigerians were deceived and we all bought it. Now, look at where we are today. They told Nigerians ‘if you don’t elect General Buhari, there’ll be no Nigeria again…,” he stated.
Speaking further, the governor said he supports the agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) but not the violence associated with the group.
According to him, there was a time IPOB’s leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was singing his praises over his support for the group’s agitation.
The governor, however, noted that problem with IPOB began when they allegedly came to Rivers to set ablaze government properties and enforce their membership on the residents.
“Why? I said to the federal government there is nothing wrong with people agitating. What is important is to listen to their agitations. What are they talking about? Sit down with them. Talk with them.
“My problem came, which I will not compromise with. They came to my state and burnt every infrastructure — the courts and police stations. The state put money in building the courts and everything; you came and burnt everywhere. Not only are you burning everywhere, you said we (referring to Rivers state) are part of you. And I said ‘no, don’t do that’. That is not correct.
“I support the agitations in the South-East, whether anybody likes it or not, I do. We should sit down at the round table and discuss it.
“But again what do I do wrong when you have not gone to say ‘bomb everything there.’ I am a governor and you are telling me what has never happened and I should accept? Do you need to kill everybody in my area simply for me to say I am with you? And I say no, I won’t do that.”
