Attack on Wike: APC Chieftain calls on security agents to arrest Sheik Gumi
..says no Niger Deltan, Southerner inferior in Nigeria
By Tom Okpe
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), Hon Yekini Nabena, has urged the country’s security agencies to arrest a Kaduna based Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, over his recent public outburst against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
Nabena condemned what he called ‘sense of entitlement by some ethnic and religious bigots’ in the Northern part of Nigeria, warning that no evil must befall the Minister throughout his tenure, pointing that Sheik Gumi and others like him will be held responsible by the Niger Delta people, if there’s a discrepancy.
The Cleric, had Thursday, last week in a video sermon of over 14 minutes posted on his official Facebook page, labelled Wike as “Satan” for receiving the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria in his office, asserting that President Tinubu would be stopped from serving for eight years.
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But, reacting on Subday to the development through a statement released to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, the Bayelsa born APC big-wig said some Northerners’ sense of entitlement is not only dividing the Nation but making them, see Southerners as inferior to them in a country where there should be existence of unity and equal rights.
He also said the people of Niger Delta and South in general, will no longer fold their arms while the likes of Sheik Gumi spit on their faces irrespective of political, or religions beliefs saying; “No Nigerian is more a Nigerian than anybody in Nigeria.”
He said: “My intervention in the recent controversial statement is not about the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike alone, it is about the right of the Niger Delta people and the Southerners in general.
“At this stage, we expect all the voices of reasoning to speak out because the sense of entitlement of the likes of Sheik Gumi is becoming more satanic.
“If religious and ethnic bigots like Gumi and others are saying a Southern Christian, especially from the oil rich Niger Delta, can not hold the positions of FCT Ministry and the Senate President, we demand explanations on what qualifies a Northern Muslim in the leadership of agencies like NIMASA, NNPCL, NPDC, NLNG, NPA, and others.
“How can you justify the rationale behind some Northerners heading some positions that are naturally meant for the people of Niger Delta and the South; up till date, a Northerner is still the GMD of NNPCL,” he queried.
While cautioning against reckless public comments that could lead to a more divided country, the former deputy spokesman of the ruling party, called on the presidency to urgently, make a bold statement and reaffirm the right of any Nigerian to hold public office anywhere in Nigeria.
“I call on the Presidency to deliberately, caution Sheik Gumi and his co-travellers against statements, capable of causing disunity, encouraged sense of entitlement.
“I will also call on the security agencies to take Gumi’s reckless but deliberate statement serious. Sheik Gumi should be arrested, questioned and prosecuted.
“Let it also be on record that we the Niger Delta sons and daughters will hold Sheik Gumi responsible, if any evil befall Nyesom Wike throughout his days in office as FCT Minister,” he added.
