Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, Nyesom Wike has disclosed how he emboldened the hitherto embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to fight till the end for his position amid the controversy surrounding the office.
Wike, who made the revelation on the 60th birthday of Senator Anyanwu in Abuja, said he loved people who are consistent in life and praised him for being consistent, saying, “you have shown me, with what had just happened recently, that you are a man that will stand by his words”.
Newsmata.com.ng recalls that the dust over the position of the national secretary of the PDP only settled on Wednesday June 26 when the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party eventually recognised him as such. The Supreme Court had on March 15, 2025 affirmed him as the national secretary of the party but his reinstatement was resisted by the PDP Governors’ Forum.
But eulogising Senator Anyanwu at the event which also witnessed the presentation of a book titled; “Sam Daddy In My Eyes” attended by the leadership of the PDP, Wike threw jabs at those he claimed fought him (Anyanwu) and advised him not to beg or honour their invitation, saying that they should be the ones looking for him.
In a statement on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike was quoted as describing Senator Anyanwu as a man of strong character and integrity, disclosing what he told the celebrant.
Recalling how he advised Anyanwu to stand firm on the PDP’s secretaryship tussle because some people were not straightforward, the FCT Minister said he had always told people to try and show where they stood.
According to Wike, “Some people were going right, they were going left, they were going front, and they were going backwards. What they said in the morning, what they said in the afternoon, was it what they would say in the night?
“So, I warned him, if you know you will not stand firm, say it now. I also asked him, are you sure you can stand this fight? A fight where virtually everybody, including governors are fighting you, will not be easy but if you stand firm you will win.
“However, if you begin to go left and you go right, not only will you lose, you will suffer, and he assured me that he would stand firm and will not change”.
Felicitating Anyanwu on the milestone, Wike said; “My friends and I congratulate you on your 60th birthday and for your victory as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP.
“I am happy with the crowd I am seeing here. It shows you are a man of the people. Let me assure you, for people like us, we will stand with you; we will continue to be with you. It doesn’t matter what some people would say.”
Counseling Anyanwu to walk with his head high, having emerged victorious and never to beg anyone, nor honour anybody’s invitation, the former Rivers State governor said, “Nobody fights a war, wins the war and begs. You have won, the people concerned should come and talk to you and not invite you.
“You don’t fight a war and win and then people will say come, no, tell them, you, come to me. You have people like me, so don’t be afraid; I am here. We have done it before; we will do it again. Some people will not be happy, I am happy.
“When e dey pain them, e de sweet us, as e dey sweet us e de pain them,” he said in pidgin.
Wike stressed that “what makes a man is his character and not how much money he has or the food he provides. If you don’t have character, go to hell with your food.”
Commending former Senate President Bukola Saraki and chairman of PDP’s Reconciliation Committee, for attesting to Anyanwu’s steadfastness as a man of his words, Wike disclosed that “His (the celebrant) mother called me the other day and said ‘my son, I am happy that people like you will take decisions, stand firm and swear not to be disgraced. This is what we are talking about – people of character. You don’t buy it in the market”.