The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, on Saturday, confirmed that his appointment was facilitated by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Lokpobiri spoke on Saturday at an event organised in honour of Wike by the Ijaw Peoples Congress (IPC) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
He said, “It is important to tell you my brothers and sisters that me that is standing before you today as the minister of state for petroleum resources was also made possible by Nyesom Wike.
“You also heard the account of the MD of the NDDC who said that the minister of the FCT played a direct role in his appointment.
“My own case could have been a more direct role. Some of you may not know. It all started in Wike’s house in Port Harcourt and it all got concluded in his house in Abuja.
“My second journey of becoming a minister started at the house of the minister in Port Harcourt and it was concluded in his house in Abuja. It is important for me to complete this history.
“Because when I was looking at the welcome address, our names were not included among those who have benefitted from his benevolence. I thought that my name, Heineken Lokpobiri, would have been included amongst those that he has helped.
“But since my name is not included, I have to complete it. I want you Ijaw people to know that we have a brother, we have a friend.
“It is always better to have a good friend than to have a bad brother. Of what use is a bad brother? It is of no use. But if you have a good friend in the case of the FCT minister, you are already blessed.
“Your excellency, the FCT minister, let me on behalf of the Ijaw people all over the world, express our gratitude to you for your show of love to Ijaw people.
“We Ijaw people are very grateful people. If you do us good, we will not pay you back with evil. So, we will always be grateful to you for what you have done for our Ijaw people. We are looking forward to you to do more for our Ijaw people.”
Lokpobiri, who hails from Bayelsa, served as minister of state for agriculture and rural development between 2015 to 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was appointed minister of state for petroleum resources by President Bola Tinubu in August 2023 — the same time Wike was named FCT minister.