Journalist and politician Dele Momodu has revealed why his relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, soured.
Momodu explained that he and Wike were once close friends, but their bond began to deteriorate after he informed the former Rivers State governor of his intention to run for president.
According to Momodu, he suspected that Wike might have been secretly harboring his own presidential ambitions. After sharing his plans to run for president with Wike, the minister suddenly stopped taking his calls.
In a recent appearance on The Honest Bunch podcast, Momodu said:
“I was very close to Wike, but we are no longer close. The trouble started when I declared my interest in the presidential race.
“He hadn’t told anyone he wanted to contest, but I suspected he might be considering it because of the branding and his investments in media, especially with PR deals across several media outlets.
“These things aren’t cheap, but he was getting great results; everyone was talking about him.
“So, I met with him and told him about my plans to run for president and asked for his support. Before doing so, I had consulted widely, meeting with Emirs, the Sultan, and others. The general feedback I received was that if Wike were to run, he would face serious challenges, especially in the North. The Northern states would likely support anyone except Wike.
“I tried to warn him about this, and I asked if, in case he couldn’t run, he would kindly support me. What’s wrong with that? I considered him my friend. But after that, he stopped taking my calls.
“He even told people on Channels TV that when asked about new entrants like me, he said, ‘Which Dele Momodu? Get serious!’
“I was shocked. Wike, who once told me he admired the way I and his boss, [Rotimi] Amaechi, used to fly helicopters, saying, ‘Look at them, they’re living it up!’—has now disrespected me, simply because he has gained power and wealth.”
