From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Concerned elders in Rivers State have asked the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to tender an unreserved apology to elder statesman and former governor, Sir Peter Odili, his wife and family members for disrespecting them and to Rivers people 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” signed by 16 elders including former governor, Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor, Tele Ikuru, former PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, former deputy speaker, 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 Wike, in which 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 at Oroigwe has directed insults against Dr. Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers State and 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 tenders an unreserved apology to HE Dr Peter Odili, his wife and children for the magnitude of disrespect and abuses 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 peace-maker and role model who is supposed to be a leader by virtue of his status as 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.
“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, 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 which 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 anyone 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’ by 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 distinguished national statesman.
“Pamo University of Medical Sciences (PUMS) is founded and solely funded by Dr. Peter Odili and family. The potential success story of PUMS attracted the Rivers State Government to seek collaboration for the training of quality health care personnel to serve the health needs of the people of Rivers State. The support that the 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 that have been engaged by the state government.
The elders said Wike did not build any house for Dr. Odili 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 River State government 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 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.”
On the appointment of Odili’s daughter as commissioner, the group continued that there was no law which says children of former governors or their wives should not hold public offices if they are qualified.