Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, escalated his longrunning war of words with the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that neither he, nor his G5 governor allies, would work for the party’s presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, at next year’s elections.
In addition, he intensified his claims of corruption against Iyorchia Ayu, the National Chairman, and dared him to file a lawsuit if they were unfounded.
Wike made the statements at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Omagwa in Port Harcourt, where the Rivers State PDP chapter inaugurated its campaign for the 2023 elections.
Since the conclusion of the party’s presidential primaries in May, Governors Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) have been at loggerheads with Atiku over their insistence that Ayu resign for a party member from the south of the country.
The Atiku campaign’s attempts to persuade the resentful governors to change their minds have failed because they have routinely abstained from Atiku’s campaign events. According to The Nation.
At yesterday’s rally, Wike’s camp said that Atiku was on his own since Rivers residents would no longer waste their energy supporting “their enemies,” making any chance of reconciliation between the two camps even more improbable.
And the fact that the 38,000-seat stadium was completely full and there was no sign of the party’s presidential candidate made that much clear.
Ayu also had no part because he was noticeably absent, and Taofik Arapaja, the deputy chairman of the PDP for the South, took charge of distributing flags to candidates in his place.
Governor Wike made it clear that only the state’s candidates for the National Assembly and House of Assembly elections, Siminialayi Fubara for governor, were involved in yesterday’s campaign flag-off.
“I won’t back somebody who argues that no one from another ethnic group can be president here in Rivers State,” he declared.
“We are all the owners of Nigeria. You have the right to be the president of Nigeria whether you are Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, or Igbo.
“So, you didn’t even say where I’m from when you went on national television and urged everyone to “don’t vote for the Yoruba, don’t vote for Igbo.
“This means that no one recognizes me, which indicates that I am an apparition. But God is aware of my origins.
“God is the one who determines your origin. Party is not involved in it at all. It’s related to who I am.
“By God’s grace, I come from somewhere, and we must demonstrate that. I support parties, but I also support equity, fairness, and justice.
I warn them not to disparage myself or my people. You enter town hall and spread falsehoods there.
“I said if you believe in restructuring Nigeria, if you believe in devolution of power, and if you believe Buhari erred by appointing service chiefs from one region, then I say what you should do is rectify it from the party,” she continued.
“The G5 is advocating for justice, equity, and fairness. We are required to share political and elective roles, according to the party’s charter, but you claim to want every position. I won’t concur. According to The Nation.
