The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has urged the former Governor of the state, Dr Peter Odili to forgive his (Wike’s) tribe, Ikwerre, for betraying him (Odili) after all support.
Wike also said those accusing Nigeria’s judiciary of being corrupt, are not clean themselves, noting that while corruption in the judiciary undermines the courts’ credibility, those who often are quick to throw tantrums at the judiciary, particularly legal practitioners, are culpable as well.
The Governor spoke Monday night during a State banquet organised at the Government House, Port Harcourt, in honour of Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili, on her 70th birthday and retirement from the Supreme Court of Nigeria, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri.
Wike said despite the generosity of Dr. Odili and his family, some of those whom they had helped politically, have regrettably betrayed and humiliated them.
“I have never seen a man who has suffered humiliation, I have never seen a man who has suffered betrayal in lifelike Dr. Odili.”
Governor Wike further explained that Dr Odili’s insistence that someone from the Ikwerre extraction should succeed him as governor in 2007, earned him some enemies.
“Dr. Odili’s biggest problem in this state today, people must know the truth, is because he said Ikwerre man must become governor, that’s it. If any man tells you that Odili has committed any other sin, it’s a lie. It’s just because he said Ikwerre man must become governor.
“Unfortunately, we the Ikwerre people whom he said should be governor are ones that put him in the witness box. But, I want to appeal to him, forgive, you are a Christian. You are a Christian, forgive all of us.”
Governor Wike, who recalled how the Odili family suffered blackmail and humiliation because of him, vowed never to grieve or engage in acts that will bring them into disrepute.
He reaffirmed that Dr. Odili’s fatherly counsel has been one of the reasons why he has succeeded in the governance and transformation of Rivers State since 2015
