Journalist and politician Dele Momodu has shared why his friendship with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has ended.

Momodu said he used to be close to Wike, but things changed when he told Wike about his plan to run for president. He suspected that Wike also had his own political ambitions, and after their conversation, Wike stopped answering his calls.

According to Momodu, this made him realize that their friendship had become strained. He believes Wike distanced himself because he saw him as a political rival.

In a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, Momodu said;

 “I was very close to [Nyesom] Wike. We are no longer close. Troubles started the moment I declared interest in the presidential election.

“He had not told anybody he wanted to contest but I was suspecting because of the branding and how much he was spending on journalists. He had PR deals with many media houses.

“Those things are not cheap but he was getting good results; everybody was talking about him.

“So, I met him and informed him that I would be contesting for the presidency and I would need his support. And before then, I had consulted nationwide, I had met Emirs, the Sultan and everybody.

“The general impression I was getting was that if Wike wants to run, he would have problems, especially in the North. The Northerners would support anybody but not Wike.
 

“I tried to tell him that this is what I had picked up and in case you are unable to run, would you kindly support me? What’s the crime in that?

“I already considered you my friend. He stopped picking my calls, he told people even live on Channels, when an interviewer asked for his opinions on new entrants like Dele Momodu, he said, ‘Which Dele Momodu? Get serious!’

“I was shocked. Wike that told me that he used to watch myself and his boss, [Rotimi] Ameachi when we were flying helicopters, he would be down saying, ‘See these people, they’re enjoying o!,’ is now disrespecting me simply because he has now made money, power.”