Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Sunday said that he will remain grateful to Justice Mary Odili for her timely intervention that saved his political career in 2004.
Governor Wike stated this during the 70th birthday and retirement thanksgiving mass of Justice Mary Odili as Justice of the Supreme Court that was held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa, (CIWA) in Port Harcourt.
“In 2004, that time her husband was the governor, so she was going to Bori Camp for women empowerment scheme. I was to run for the second tenure as chairman of my local government (Obio-Akpor),” Wike said.
“Now, they were having lunch with her husband and the former state party chairman then, Prince Uche Secondus. And, I was told that my name had been removed in the list. So, I ran down to Government House.
“She has finished her own lunch, left her husband and was entering the vehicle. I said ‘Mummy, I’m finished.’ She asked what happened; I said they’ve removed my name.
“She ran back straight to her husband and informed him. Her husband asked who removed his name. At that time, Secondus had left. The husband then called the security at the gate, they stopped Secondus and ask him to come back.”
He further added: “That was how I went back as second term chairman. For me, I can’t talk about my growth without mentioning her. If she was not around that day, to see the governor, you know is not an easy thing. Her being around that particular day saved my career in politics. And so that was how I grew from there to become what I am today.”