Why I visited APC chairman

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed criticisms trailing his recent visit to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, insisting that politics should not be reduced to hostility and suspicion.

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Mr Wike spoke on Wednesday while inspecting ongoing road projects in Karu, Apo-Karshi and Kubwa in the FCT, where he also reiterated his administration’s commitment to completing infrastructure projects within schedule.

The former Rivers governor said his meeting with Mr Yilwatda was a personal visit between long-time associates, not a political gathering, and that he owed no one a public explanation for his private movements.

His comments come amid mounting political tensions in Rivers State and growing speculation over alignments within the APC ahead of the state assembly elections.

Mr Wike visited the APC national chairman at his residence in Abuja on Tuesday, but details of the meeting were not disclosed, prompting widespread political speculation, especially given the ongoing crisis surrounding the screening of aspirants for the Rivers State House of Assembly election.

Speaking on the controversy, the minister questioned why every interaction between politicians from different parties must immediately be interpreted through a political lens.

According to him, political affiliation should not prevent individuals from maintaining cordial relationships or interacting freely.

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“We’re all colleagues before he left for the chairmanship of APC. So what I should do anytime I see him is to hide? Anytime he sees me, he should run away so people will not say something?” Mr Wike said.

He said he found the public reaction unnecessary, arguing that there was nothing unusual about visiting someone he had known long before the latter emerged as the APC national chairman.

The minister further explained that Mr Yilwatda had made several unsuccessful attempts to meet him officially at his office due to the minister’s tight schedule.

He said that because the APC chairman could not secure an appointment through official channels, he decided to visit him personally at home instead.

Mr Wike also rejected suggestions that politicians from rival parties, such as the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), should avoid one another completely.

According to him, such an approach promotes bitterness and an unhealthy political culture.

The minister maintained that his primary concern remains the delivery of projects and the fulfilment of the mandate given to him by President Bola Tinubu.

He said external opinions, rumours and political speculations do not influence his focus in office so long as he continues to achieve measurable results.

“What’s important to me is what I’m doing for my people,” he said, adding that performance and service delivery matter more than political interpretations.

The controversy surrounding the visit comes at a politically sensitive period in Rivers State, where the APC recently concluded the screening of aspirants seeking to contest the state assembly election.

The party’s screening committee for Rivers State reportedly cleared 33 aspirants and disqualified 65 others ahead of the primaries.

The committee, chaired by former House of Representatives member, Muraina Ajibola, screened 98 aspirants who purchased nomination forms for the 32 seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to the screening report, several aspirants were disqualified over alleged infractions, including inducement and attempted bribery, failure to provide voter cards, submission of unsworn affidavits, and inability to present party membership slips or cards.

Report also indicated that aspirants linked to suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as well as allies of former APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, were among those affected by the disqualifications.

Mr Fubara’s political future has remained uncertain in recent weeks amid growing speculation over his relationship with the APC leadership and his next political move.

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During a separate screening exercise in Abuja, the governor abruptly left the screening venue after spending less than 20 minutes there and declined to speak with journalists afterwards, further fuelling uncertainty over his standing within the ruling party.

Against this backdrop, Mr Wike’s visit to the APC chairman has generated intense public interest, particularly amid the lingering political crisis in Rivers State and the ongoing power struggle involving key actors in the state’s political structure.

Although neither Mr Wike nor Mr Yilwatda disclosed details of their discussions, the minister’s latest comments suggest he views the meeting as a routine interaction rather than a strategic political engagement.