The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, has revealed how late Chief Daniel Orbih played a key role in his emergence as Rivers State governor in 2015.
Wike spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at a night of tributes organised in honour of Orbih, who was the National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the South-South.
DAILY POST reports that Orbih, who hailed from Etsako in Edo State, died on August 31 at the age of 64.
The minister said Orbih stood his ground despite serious political pressure and huge financial offers from opponents who wanted him to withdraw his support for Wike’s governorship bid.
He said their friendship grew stronger between 2013 and 2014, a difficult period when some political rivals, including the then Rivers State governor, tried everything to stop his ambition, but Orbih refused to back down.
“Today, I am a Minister of the FCT; yesterday, I was a governor. Who did God use for me to become governor? It was Dan.
“There was nothing in this world that was not done to induce him.
“My governor then sent people to Dan, offered him everything in this world, but Dan stood firm and said, ‘No, I will not accept. I will not agree,’” Wike said.