Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has revealed some life-threatening scenarios that he kept hidden for eight years.
The former governor revealed that he was poisoned at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in December 2018 during a special Thanksgiving service organised by his family on Sunday at the St. Peters Deanery, Rumuepirikom, Obio-Akpor.
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He claimed the poison ravaged his internal organs, affecting his liver and kidneys and nearly killing him but for God’s intervention.
Hundreds of dignitaries in attendance were stunned as the former Governor revealed his closely guarded secrets.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was represented at the event by Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
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The service was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President, many senators, over 35 members of the House of Representatives, many former Governors, former ministers, royal fathers, captains of industries, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee, and other Very Important Persons (VIPs).
Wike described his near-death experience from poisoning as follows: “God was in charge, everybody who knew how we came to power in 2015 knew it was turbulent.” But God saw us through. Many people believe you are doing well in office. Nobody wants to know about your personal issues.
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“It was a day my former Chief of Staff was going to have Thanksgiving in December 2018.” That Thanksgiving, I was supposed to go. I didn’t leave my room after that Sunday. It was awful. Those who attended the 2019 state banquet on January 1st, however, will recall that I did not speak that day. I just sat there and told the Deputy Governor to speak on my behalf. “I thought it was over.”
Wike said he was flown to a hospital in Beirut at 12 a.m., where doctors told him after a series of tests that his liver and kidney were all gone.
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“I had no idea I’d been poisoned at our party’s secretariat,” he said, adding that after some treatments, the doctors returned and told him his organs had started working again.
He stated that the doctors released him after about a week and asked him to return home, noting that he changed his itinerary during his second term campaign.
According to the former Governor, everyone became a suspect when he decided not to enter any party leader’s home during his campaigns.
He recalled the second instance of God’s intervention in his life as when his wife called him during his presidential primary campaign to inform him that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
Wike stated that he informed the leaders of his campaign team, including the G-5 Governors, that there was a problem and that he planned to withdraw from the race.
However, he stated that his wife encouraged him to continue his campaigns and that everything would be fine.
The Governor also recalled that after the primary, while on a trip to Abuja with his wife, he received information that a mysterious fire gutted his wife’s room and destroyed everything she had as a woman.
Despite the difficulties, he stated, “My wife was a strong woman who never showed it.” But my wife is fine today. The cancer incident was the one that made me realise that God had done everything for me.”
Wike went on to say that God once saved him and three other leaders from a plane crash.
He claimed that one of the aircraft’s engines exploded 15 minutes after takeoff while they were on their way to Abuja following the presidential primary.
“We heard an explosion 15 minutes after takeoff at the air force base.” They secured the cockpit. Because one of the engines failed, the pilot decided it was safer to return to Port Harcourt. Many ambulances and fire trucks were lined up before we landed. By the grace of God, we landed safely. “I didn’t tell anyone,” he said.
The former Governor claimed he kept most of the incidents hidden to avoid frightening his supporters, who may have begun to behave in any case.
Wike said he decided to thank God for allowing a peaceful transition in Rivers and for granting him victories in all of the state’s elections.
“Ask my colleague how they felt when their candidates were not chosen as their successors. Even those who had not yet been sworn in began to mock their predecessors. But no one is tormenting me.”
The former governor claimed that there was a gang up in his party at the national level to arrest him if his decisions failed, adding that his loyalists were scared at times that they would all be in trouble.
He revealed that he purchased all of the forms for all of the party’s elections, noting that no candidate paid a dime to purchase forms.
“I paid for every form.” Nobody would believe he paid any money to purchase forms from the governorship to the House of Assembly. We agreed to work as a group. There is only one form in the House of Assembly, and the same in the Senate. “We didn’t want a post-election crisis,” he explained.
He stated that all governorship candidates signed an agreement drafted by party elders that they would support the party’s choice for the governorship election.
“When someone was chosen, there was a gang-up,” Wike said. They relocated to Abuja and began planning how they would arrest me after winning at the centre. All evil plots against me were foiled.
“Those close to me were concerned. But I told them they wouldn’t be done yet. God never abandoned us.Today, we have a governor who will be our successor. I don’t look back because I know I’m safe everywhere.”
Wike explained why he backed Akpabio for Senate Presidency, saying the former Akwa Ibom Governor defied criticism to back his governorship ambition in 2015.
He stated that Akpabio donated N200 million to his campaign, adding that one good turn deserves another.
“When I was running in 2014 and 2015, he came out and supported me,” he explained. He gave me N200 million for that election. That’s why I said one good turn deserves another. I backed him up this time, and I’m glad he won.”
Wike thanked all members of the G-5 and the Integrity Group for their roles in the presidential election.
