The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo State, is his “cousin.” However, he emphasized that no one can influence Mr. Onuoha’s decisions in Edo.
Wike also stated that he has informed Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State that he will not be supporting Asue Ighodalo, the PDP’s governorship candidate, in the upcoming election next Saturday.
“I told him (Governor Obaseki) I am not going to support Ighodalo,” Mr Wike stated on Friday in an interview on Channels television.
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The minister revealed that Governor Obaseki had brought the PDP candidate to his Abuja residence on two occasions to seek his support, which he refused.
During his tenure as governor of Rivers State, Wike had served as the chairperson for Obaseki’s re-election campaign in Edo State in 2020.
Wike also recalled an incident where a former Inspector General of Police instructed him to leave Edo State, where he was campaigning for Obaseki’s second term, but he chose to stay.
After winning the election, Mr Obaseki fell apart with Mr Wike. Mr Obaseki told Mr Wike then that the PDP was not his personal property and that “In Edo, we don’t accept political bullies and overlords.”
Asked why he turned down Mr Obaseki’s request to support the PDP candidate, Mr Wike said, “The one I supported never helped me; rather, I was insulted.” This suggests that he turned down Mr Obaseki’s request based on his 2020 experience.
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On Thursday, Anthony Aziegbemi, the chairperson of the PDP in Edo State, called for the redeployment of INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Onuoha, alleging that Onuoha is connected to Mr. Wike.
While Wike confirmed that Onuoha is his “cousin,” he asserted that even the INEC chairperson does not have the power to influence the REC’s decisions.
Wike also reminded the Edo PDP chairperson that he played a significant role in Aziegbemi’s appointment as the party’s chairperson.
“When his governor came to meet me to support Mr Ighodalo, was he there? They didn’t know that the REC was my cousin.
“When Mr Obaseki brought Mr Ighodalo to my house two times to support him, they didn’t know that the REC was my cousin. It is just today that they just knew that he is my cousin. He was posted more than one year ago.”
Mr Wike said after supporting Mr Obaseki in 2020, he (Wike) “became a stupid man” and added that he does not “like ingrate in life.”
He also made it clear that he does not support the APC candidate because he is not a member of the APC himself.
He emphasised that he does not also support the APC candidate because he (Wike) is not a member of the APC.
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