Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has slammed some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, labelling them as “political buccaneers”.

Wike, who was governor of the oil-rich South-South state from May 2015 to May 2023, blasted PDP leaders in the state for declaring support for his former political son, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

PDP leader in Rivers State, Abiye Sekibo; ex-PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; ex-governorship aspirant, Celestine Omehia; and ex-lawmaker, Austin Opara; had last week declared support for Fubara and called on President Bola Tinubu to caution Wike.

However, reacting on Tuesday, Wike said Sekibo, Secondus, Omehia and Opara were all expired politicians not worthy to be called “elder statesmen”.

The FCT minister claimed he kicked them out of the PDP and insisted that Secondus was no longer a member of the PDP as his suspension was validated by the court.

“The other day, I saw a political conference organised by transactional politicians. Political vampires, political buccaneers,” Wike said.

When journalist corrected the minister that those he referred to are elder statesmen, Wike said, “Do you know who is called an elder stateman?  An elder statesman is someone who must have integrity; who must not be here today and be there tomorrow.”

Wike said it was ironical that the same set of people who had refused to support Fubara before the 2023 polls now declare support for the him after the poll.

“Today, they are not only serving a boy but they are waiting for him on the road. Do they have integrity? The same people who said this governor was a neophyte, how can they bring themselves to support him? They wrote a petition when this governor wanted to collect his certificate in PDP, they carried a rumour on how he became chairman and that he is being looked for by EFCC. They said he was not coming to PDP national secretariat but they were surprised that the governor went to the PDP secretariat,” the minister said.

Wike said he was aware of the “antics” of the PDP leaders. “He (Fubara) wants to be on his own with these political vampires who are always sucking. My pity for them.”

“They are calling Nigerians to support Tinubu. That me, I am a selfish person. All of them were in power but what did they do for their people?” he queried.

Wike also said “political differences” has affected his relationship with ex-governor Peter Odili as they are now different political camps. He questioned when Odili became the “revered leader” of the PDP leaders in Rivers State.