The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has strongly criticized former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, labeling him a rent-seeker and ingrate for supporting incumbent Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Wike, speaking at a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt on Sunday, accused Odili of hypocrisy and attempting to turn Rivers State into his personal estate. 
He remarked, “Between him and myself, who has turned Rivers State into his personal estate? His wife is a chairman of the governing council, his daughter is a commissioner, his other daughter is a judge, and he is the general overseer.”
Wike also highlighted his contributions to Odili’s political revival, revealing, “When I came in as governor in 2015, I won’t use the word resurrected, but I brought him back to life.”
Furthermore, he questioned Odili’s sudden change of stance, noting, “All of you here remember when I was governor; this same Odili praised me to high heaven. In fact, he said then that all past governors in Rivers State combined did not do better than me.”
He criticized Odili’s claims that Governor Fubara, who has barely spent a year in office, had already outperformed previous administrations, describing it as an act of desperation.
Moreover, Wike accused Odili of lacking political courage, recalling how he backed down from contesting the presidency, “This is a man who wanted to run for president then; he didn’t have the balls; he chickened out.”
He further stressed that Odili’s inconsistent statements and actions have reduced his credibility as an elder statesman.
As tensions escalate, stakeholders are now calling for calm and a quick resolution to prevent further disruptions to governance in Rivers State.
