Governor Wike Reveals How His Political Career Was Saved By Influential Rivers Judge in 2004
- Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state on Sunday, May 15, expressed his gratitude to Justice Mary Odili
- The governor said the retired Supreme Court of Nigeria Justice saved his political career when some unnamed individuals ganged up against him
- According to Wike, Justice Odili intervened in his matter through her husband, Peter, who was the Rivers state governor at the time
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The governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, over the weekend disclosed how his political career was saved through the timely intervention of Justice Mary Odili in 2004.
He made the declaration at the 70th birthday celebration and retirement mass of Justice Odili at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa, (CIWA) in Port Harcourt.
Source: Facebook
Noting that he will forever be grateful to the now-retired Supreme Court of Nigeria judge, Wike said he had cried to Justice Odili when he got the hint that his name was not included among those cleared to contest either as first term or second term chairmen of local councils in Rivers.
Wike said Justice Odili had taken his complaint to her husband, Peter who was the governor of Rivers state at the time.
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He added that the manner in which the retired judge presented his matter to her husband got Peter acting on it immediately.
According to Wike, Peter had then invited the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state, Uche Secondus on the matter.
He added that Secondus was asked by the governor to confirm the observation and later put a call across to the then national secretary of the party Vincent Ogbulafor.
Wike's words:
“In 2004, that time her husband was the governor, so she was going to Bori Camp for women empowerment scheme. I was to run for the second tenure as chairman of my local government (Obio-Akpor).
“Now, they were having lunch with her husband and the former state party chairman then, Prince Uche Secondus. And, I was told that my name had been removed from the list. So, I ran down to Government House."
Wike further said that Justice Mary had finished her lunch, left her husband and was entering her vehicle when she asked him what went wrong.
His words:
“I said ‘Mummy, I’m finished.’ She asked what happened; I said they’ve removed my name.
“She ran back straight to her husband and informed him. Her husband asked who removed his name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Secondus and ask him to come back.”
According to Wike, that was why he went back for his second term as the chairman of Obio Akpor LGA in Rivers state.
He added:
"For me, I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning her. If she was not around that day, to see the governor, you know is not an easy thing.
"Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. And so that was how I grew from there to become what I am today.”
Source: Legit.ng
