Wike wouldn’t be Governor, minister without me, Ozekhome, others – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike is a beneficiary of the struggle for democracy by him, Mike Ozekhome, and other freedom fighters during the military junta.

Sani said Wike would not have been a local government chairman, state governor, and Minister if not for the struggle by him, Ozekhome, and other freedom fighters during the military era.

He was reacting to Wike’s recent remark questioning how much significance his presence made to make Nigeria better when he was a senator.

Speaking at the Nigeria Annual Lecture and Gold Prize Award, 2024, an event organised to celebrate Nigeria’s 25 years of uninterrupted democracy, Sani called on President Bola Tinubu to wake up and do what is right because Nigerians are suffering.

But Wike questioned Sani for making such calls, asking that the former lawmaker tell Nigerians his key achievements in all the years he spent at the national assembly as a Senator.

Reacting, Sani asked where Wike was when he was locked up in Port Harcourt prison during the military junta.

Featuring on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Sani said: “Nobody can demean the struggle that we did to free Nigeria from military dictatorship, Mike Ozoekhome was a patriot.

“If not for the struggle which we did to de-establish military dictatorship and establish democracy in Nigeria, people like Wike wouldn’t have become local government Chairman, governor, or minister today.

“He’s a beneficiary of the struggle, the sweat, and all we have invested in it. And at a certain time, I was in Port Harcourt prison as a political prisoner; where was he then? He is a beneficiary of the struggle to which Nigerians have dedicated and committed their time to.”