Wike Mentions Powerful PDP Leader Whose House Was Allegedly Built with Rivers Money

Wike Mentions Powerful PDP Leader Whose House Was Allegedly Built with Rivers Money

  • Nyesom Wike's spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, has told Bode George to show the maturity expected of a former military governor
  • Olayinka insisted Wike stands by his claim that the funds used to buy Bode George's Abuja house came from Rivers state
  • The FCT minister's aide also challenged Bode George to explain why the Peoples Democratic Party has not won in Lagos state since 1999

Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to Nyesom Wike, has hit back at Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Bode George, telling him to conduct himself with the dignity expected of someone who served as a military governor nearly four decades ago.

Olayinka said it was becoming an embarrassment to watch someone of Bode George's standing dash between television studios to attack people young enough to be his children.

Olayinka made reference to George's tenure as Military Governor of the old Ondo state in 1988, saying the role demanded a higher standard of behaviour.

Read also

Davido reacts after reports of EFCC freezing Osun government account 10 Days to gov election

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has said Chief Bode George's property in Abuja was bought with Rivers money
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says Bode George bought his Abuja mansion with Rivers money Photo Credit: @GovWike
Source: Twitter

Wike stands firm on property allegation

At the centre of the row is Wike's claim that Bode George's Abuja property was paid for with money from Rivers state. Olayinka made clear that the minister has no intention of backing down from that position.

Olayinka said:

"Wike was clear. He said Bode George's Abuja house was acquired with funds from Rivers state, and he stands by this."

Responding to Bode George's explanation that he bought the property from a private owner through an agent, Olayinka said that argument missed the point entirely.

According to him, Wike's concern was never about who sold the property or how the transaction was arranged, but about the origin of the money used. He said Bode George must answer that specific question directly.

Olayinka also pushed back on what he described as George's moral posturing, saying the PDP chieftain was one of the founding fathers of corruption in Nigeria and therefore lacked the standing to lecture others on the subject.

Read also

2027 election: Wike, northern youths at war, reason, details emerge

PDP's Lagos record under scrutiny

Beyond the property dispute, Olayinka took aim at Bode George's record as the face of PDP in Lagos State, pointing out that the party has not won in his own polling unit since 1999.

"Since 1999, he has not won his polling unit for the PDP," Olayinka said, contrasting that with PDP's success in winning governorship seats in Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, and Osun states over the same period.

He also drew on Yoruba cultural tradition to make his point, noting that the respect given to elders is conditional on those elders carrying themselves with dignity.

"An elder who chooses to tie corn to his waist and run around will have fowls chasing and making mockery of him," he said.

Olayinka further questioned why none of the other prominent Nigerians who served as military governors alongside Bode George between 1988 and 1990 was behaving in the same manner, and asked the same question of those who served with George on the PDP's National Working Committee.

Read also

Psquare family feud: FCT Police spokesperson shows support for Peter Okoye

See Olayinka's statement on X here:

Wike explains how Governor Fubara got it wrong

Legit.ng earlier reported that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike spoke at a special media chat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, August 1, about his fallout with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers.

Wike said Fubara began listening to people who wanted him to fail and who advised him to start a fight with the minister.

The minister denied rumours that he asked Fubara for money, saying such claims do not hold water given his position.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Bada Yusuf avatar

Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism and writing, he is also politics and current affairs editor with Legit.ng. He holds B.A in Literature from OAU, and Diploma in Mass Comm. He has obtained certificates in Google's Advance Digital Reporting, News Lab workshop. He previously worked as an Editor with OperaNews. Best Editor of the Year for Politics and Current Affairs Desk (2023) by Legit.ng. Contact: bada.yusuf.amoo@corp.legit.ng