The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has mocked Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State for declaring himself the “001” of the state.

Stressing that Fubara is not the 001 of the state, Wike downplayed claims that the governor is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

Fubara had made the declaration after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. During his registration with the APC in Rivers State, he was assigned 001 on his membership.

READ ALSO:FULL LIST: Wike revokes land belonging to Ilorin Emir, Lamido, Fayose, Iyabo Obasanjo, Others In Abuja

However, speaking during his end-of-the-year media parley in Port Harcourt, Wike said: “He [Fubara] decamped to APC with who? What is 001? Let me tell you, there’s nothing like 001 in the state.

“You register in your ward and local government, so if you are 001, it’s in your ward.

“There’s nothing like 001. There’s nothing like I have registered in the state as 001. Everybody registered in their own ward. You could be the first person to register, but that’s not your position.”

READ ALSO:Wike Bloc Asks Court To Nullify PDP Convention

On Fubara being the leader of the party in Rivers State, Wike said: “I don’t know about that because if he says so, who is the leader of APC in Lagos State?

“So there are some exceptions to the rule, so let’s not go into other things.

“See, leadership is not because I’m a governor. Leadership is not because I’m a minister. You must have something that makes you a leader.”

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has berated Seyi Makinde of Oyo state for calling him by his first name “Wike”.

The FCT Minister said it’s a mark of disrespect for the Oyo Governor to have addressed him by his father’s name.

Wike stated this on Monday while fielding questions during his monthly media parley in Abuja.

Wike’s outburst followed claim by Makinde that Wike had promised to hold the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for President Bola Tinubu in 2027, a claim Wike denied.

READ ALSO:PDP Issues Certificate Of Expulsion To Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, Others

Wike claimed that Makinde was not being truthful about what transpired during the alleged meeting and as well persons who were in attendance.

Wike said: “He didn’t mention former governor of Benue was in the meeting. He didn’t mention former governor of Abia. He didn’t mention former governor of Enugu.

“What was the purpose of that meeting? Who called for the meeting? Did the President call you for the meeting?

RES ALSO:Wike Bloc Asks Court To Nullify PDP Convention

“We went and said, look, we want to see President. And the President said, okay, come to the house. We went to the house as usual. And we said, Sir, we are still available. We still work together.

“So what is the issue of saying that we had a meeting?

“To start with, Seyi you cannot, he does not have what it takes to tell me that. He does not. He knows.

“He has never called me Wike. And to hell with him. You heard him say $1 million. Did he pay my school fees? That’s a disrespect.

“That is my father’s name. He can’t do that. He has never done that. He doesn’t have what it takes. Forget he’s a governor.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will not recognise the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal processes.

This was as contained in a letter dated December 22, 2025, signed by INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The Commission stated that it could not act on demands to acknowledge or upload on its website the list of national officers said to have been elected at the National Convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan.

READ ALSO:Osun, Imo, Kano Lead As INEC Reports 2.3m New Voter Registrations

According to INEC, its position was guided by subsisting court decisions and pending litigation relating to the leadership crisis within the PDP.

The electoral body further noted that it would be improper to recognise any factional officers while the matter remains before the courts.