An explosive rift has erupted within Nigeria’s political space following a blistering statement by the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ajibola Basiru, who launched a scathing counterattack against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, accusing him of meddling recklessly in the internal affairs of the ruling party and calling on him to immediately resign from the Federal Executive Council.
In a strongly worded response, Basiru expressed outrage at what he described as an “uncouth tirade” by Wike directed at his person and office. The APC scribe said his remarks were prompted by his insistence that sitting governors must be accorded due respect as leaders of the party in their respective states, a position he described as standard party practice and entirely non-controversial.
Basiru said it was deeply disturbing that such an innocuous statement could provoke what he termed an unrestrained and disrespectful reaction from a serving minister of the Federal Republic, adding that the episode raised serious questions about political decorum at the highest levels of government.
He further escalated the confrontation by asserting that official party records show that Wike is not a registered member of the All Progressives Congress and therefore lacks the moral and constitutional standing to interfere in the party’s internal affairs. According to him, Wike’s involvement in APC matters in Rivers State amounts to an unwarranted intrusion and an affront to the party’s established structures.
The National Secretary emphasised that his role obliges him to protect the interests of the APC nationwide, stressing that his constitutional responsibilities are not limited to his home state of Osun. He maintained that any intervention he makes in party matters across the country falls squarely within his mandate and cannot be twisted into allegations of interference or personal ambition.
Basiru also took direct aim at Wike’s reference to an alleged six hundred billion naira largesse in Rivers State, which the minister reportedly claimed APC leaders were scrambling to access. He dismissed the allegation as crude blackmail and political mudslinging, describing it as a familiar tactic deployed to discredit opponents without evidence.
Declaring that his personal and public record is one of unquestionable integrity, Basiru openly challenged Wike to substantiate the claim, warning that failure to do so could result in legal action. He said he would not allow his reputation to be dragged through the mud for political convenience.
The APC National Secretary also responded sharply to what he described as veiled threats issued by the former Rivers governor, cautioning that political power is transient and warning Wike against overestimating his influence. Basiru said his confidence rests in God and democratic values, not intimidation, and reminded Wike that he was actively involved in the struggle against military dictatorship at a time when many current political heavyweights were absent from the pro democracy movement.
In a pointed rebuke, Basiru further stated that Wike’s public support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not translate into membership of the APC, noting that millions of Nigerians outside the ruling party also supported Tinubu’s presidential bid. He accused the minister of attempting to import the internal culture and crises of the Peoples Democratic Party into the APC, an effort he said would be firmly resisted.
He warned that any attempt by Wike to destabilise the APC in Rivers State under the cover of federal office would not be tolerated, stressing that the ruling party would defend its structures and leadership at all levels.
The statement culminated in a dramatic call for resignation, with Basiru arguing that it is incompatible for a non-party member to sit in the cabinet of an APC-led government while simultaneously sowing discord within the party. He said the honourable and ethical course of action for Wike is to step down as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and pursue his political battles outside the Federal Executive Council.
Samuel Aina