The Yoruba Heritage Forum has chided the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, over reported statements credited to him, allegedly threatening the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Basiru Ajibola.
The Forum, in a press release by its General Secretary, Olufemi Aduwo, particularly condemned, in the strongest and most unequivocal terms, the recent statement by Wike to the APC National Secretary to the effect that “what you see, take it.”
The Yoruba Heritage Forum stated that, “Given the context, tone and antecedents of political violence in Nigeria, this statement constitutes a direct, reckless and unacceptable threat to the person and safety of Basiru.
“Senator Basiru Ajibola spoke strictly in his official capacity as the National Secretary of the APC, a constitutionally-recognised political party to which Mr Wike does not belong.
“It is therefore improper, provocative and legally indefensible for Mr Wike to dabble into the internal affairs of the APC or to issue menacing statements against any of its officers for exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to political expression and commentary.
“Of even graver concern is Mr Wike’s further insinuation that ‘they are enjoying in Osun State, they do not know who did it’.
The Yoruba Heritage Forum added that the statement was ominous, “deeply troubling and capable of being interpreted as a reference to acts of illegality or violence known only to him.
“We demand to know precisely what Mr Wike meant, who he was referring to as “they,” and what actions he implied were carried out without public knowledge.
“We remind the nation that Chief Bola Ige, a serving Minister of the Federal Republic and a prominent Yoruba leader, was brutally assassinated. History teaches painful lessons.
“The Yoruba Heritage Forum will not fold its arms while a Yoruba politician on lawful national assignment in Abuja is threatened by no less a person than the Minister of the FCT who, by law, is also the Chief Security Officer of the FCT,” it stated.
The Forum called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director General Department of State Services to immediately investigate Mr Wike’s statements and actions.
“We also call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to relieve Mr Wike of his duties as Minister of the FCT without delay and to clearly reaffirm that Nigeria has only one president.
“There is no room for a ‘President-General’. No individual, no matter how loud or powerful, is above the law.
“It is equally shameful that public resources of the FCT are being deployed for unproductive, incoherent and unlawful political campaigns in Rivers State at a time when political campaigns have not been officially lifted.
“Such conduct amounts to abuse of office and a mockery of democratic norms,” Yoruba Heritage Forum added in the release.
