I Respect Tinubu, Will Never Malign Him – Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike says he has been drawn to false assertions attributed to him in an article making the rounds across certain media platforms, suggesting that he and APC Chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu are on a collision course.

According to Wike, the false information being peddled around suggests that at his last visit to Adamawa State, he made allusions to the 2023 presidential elections and mentioned the names of APC stalwarts – Bola Tinubu and Adams Oshiomhole.

Refuting this claim, the Rivers State governor said indeed it is true he was in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State on February 4, to inspect some projects being executed by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Adding that while inspecting the Greater Interchange and Underpass in Yola, some journalists requested an interview which he graciously obliged them.

“The questions asked ranged from the purpose of his visit; the prospects of the Peoples Democratic Party winning the 2023 general election and Nigeria’s rating in the global corruption index recently published by Transparency International.

“At no time during the interview session that lasted about five minutes did Governor Wike mention the names of Chief Tinubu and the APC’s former national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, or even alluded to them,” Wike stated in a communique on Friday.

The governor said the reports about him making references to the APC chieftains are preposterous, fabricated, malicious and intended to inflame relationship between Governor Wike and Chief Tinubu, whom the Rivers Chief Executive holds in high esteem.

“We wish to state without equivocation, that irrespective of political affiliation, Governor Wike has enormous respect for Chief Tinubu and will never say or do anything to malign the hard-earned reputation of the elder statesman,” the statement partly read.

Wike argued that those who made the ‘malicious report are probably acting as hirelings of some treacherous political actors, who often capitalise on the susceptibility of some journalists to manipulate them to publish misleading or factually incorrect information for political purposes.

He dared those who reported erroneously to provide evidence that proves the veracity of their fabricated report.