Wike Heads Away From Confrontation With Nasir El-Rufia

• Affirms he likes El-Rufia’s bluntness

By PHC Telegraph

Minister Nyesom Wike who probably likes to fight on Monday skilfully avoided what could have led to a head-on collision with Nasir El-Rufia, a former Governor of Kaduna State.

The incident which could have sparked off a row occurred during a media chat hosted by the minister in Abuja, the federal capital territory.

The media had sought to obtain his reaction to comments attributed to El-Rufia, but the Rivers strongman chose a middle course to avoid the pound-for-pound fighter from Kaduna State.

Wike, apparently respectful of El-Rufia’s stance on issues of national interest, said he likes him because of his frankness.

But he said the former governor could not place Tinubu somewhere around the third position in the forthcoming race if he could not also say who would be in the first place and the second.

Wike was not however lenient with Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, describing them as office chasers who could not stay in any one party.

The Minister noted that the PDP is in huge trouble, saying no one was more acutely aware of that fact than himself.

He accused journalists of being part of the problems facing the nation, an accusation that some of them on the panel disputed.

Wike added that insinuations suggesting a high level of voter apathy reportedly took place in the local government elections held in Rivers State was not true.

Meanwhile, keen observers insist many Rivers people reportedly did not turn out at the weekend for the elections.