Wike spoke at the family thanksgiving service on Sunday organised in his honour that was held at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom Deanery, of the Diocese of Niger Delta North.
The former governor explained that he cannot talk about his triumph in office as governor without attributing the victories to God.
He recalled that in 2018, he was poisoned at the campaign secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and experienced liver and kidney failure as diagnosed in a hospital in Beirut, Lebanon.
The former Rivers State governor recalled that on one fateful Sunday in December 2018, when he was due to attend the thanksgivings of his former Chief of Staff, Chief Emeka Woke, he was incapacitated to attend the event because he had been poisoned.
He stated, “From that Sunday, I never came down from my room. It was bad, but those who attended the January 1st, State Banquet of 2019, will know that I never spoke that day. I just sat down there and I told my deputy governor to speak on my behalf.
“People didn’t know what was going on. After that banquet, by 12 midnight, I was taken out of the country because I thought it was over.
“When we got to Beirut, the doctors looked at me and I was looking at them. They were not telling me anything, they said we have to do many tests.”
He stated that the next morning the doctors returned and presented a gloomy report that his kidney and liver were no longer functioning.
” I never knew that I had been poisoned in our campaign secretariat. My intestinal were all black. The doctors did all they could do.
“But, through divine providence, what would have been a disastrous situation was miraculously turned around by God, who immediately began to restore his failed organs, ” Wike added.
According to him, within one week, God healed him and he was able to return to Nigeria to continue with the 2019 campaign for his second term in office.
Wike also recalled that days leading the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign, his wife, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, called him from London that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
The former governor said he was devastated by the news and even contemplated leaving the presidential race, but his wife urged him not to, saying to the glory of God, she was eventually healed of cancer and her life preserved.
According to him, “God went further to grant him and the State a smooth political transition amidst gang up that was staged by the same people who promised to abide by the collective decision of Rivers elders over who becomes his successor.”
Mr. Wike said because the right successor was chosen, he is enjoying peace.
On his part, the governor of Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara said he is part of the political family of Mr. Wike which was attacked by the political foes, but they failed to achieve their objectives.
Fubara stressed that because of the culture of thanksgiving to God, Mr. Wike has continued to experience political victories.
Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo admonished the congregation to always remember that without God no man can attain any position.
Dignitaries who graced the thanksgiving were, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau.
Also present were the governors of Rivers State, Siminialayi Fubara; Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang (Plateau).
Other dignitaries included the former governors of Ebonyi state, Senator David Umahi, Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), James Ibori (Delta), Dr. Peter Odili (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi ( Enugu), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Jonah David Jang (Plateau), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo).
Members of the Senate, House of Representatives, and Rivers State House of Assembly also graced the occasion.
