Journalist and politician, Dele Momodu, has opened up about the reasons behind his strained relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Momodu, who was once close to Wike, revealed that their friendship began to deteriorate after he informed the former Rivers State governor of his intention to run for president. Momodu suspected that Wike was secretly harboring his own presidential ambitions, and after sharing his plans with Wike, the minister stopped returning his calls.
In a recent interview on The Honest Bunch podcast, Momodu explained, “I was very close to Wike, but we are no longer close. Trouble started the moment I declared interest in the presidential race. I had a feeling he might be running too, especially with his increased media presence and PR deals with major media outlets.”
Momodu continued, “I met with him and told him about my presidential aspirations, asking for his support. I had consulted with people across the country, including Emirs and the Sultan, and the general consensus was that if Wike ran, he’d face strong opposition, especially from the North. I asked if he wouldn’t mind supporting me if he couldn’t run himself. But after that, he stopped taking my calls.”
Momodu added that he was taken aback when Wike publicly dismissed him, saying on a live Channels TV interview, “Which Dele Momodu? Get serious!”
He concluded, “I was shocked. Wike, who once admired my achievements, now disrespects me simply because of his newfound power and wealth.”