PDP CRISIS: WIKE OPENS UP ON WHY HE IS ANGRY WITH ATIKU, AYU, PDP, OTHERS

Governor of Rivers State on Friday, during a media chat with journalists in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, spoke extensively on some of the underground politics that played out during and after the People’s Democratic Party, PDP convention which saw the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate. The programme was anchored by Gbenga Aruleba (AIT), Seun Okinbaloye (Channels), and Babajide Kolade-Otitoju (TVC)…

IYORCHIA AYU’S WICKEDNESS AGAINST ME

Wike has lambasted the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, accusing him of aiding the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, as the party’s candidate. “A whole national chairman told some aspirants that if Wike wins that he was going to resign. As chairman of the convention, he allowed Aminu Tambuwal to speak a second time. Look, integrity matters. “And after everything, he (Ayu) went and hugged Tambuwal that he was the hero of the convention.

HOW OKOWA WORKED AGAINST ME

According to Governor Nyesom Wike, he was aware of the underground moves of the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to become the vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 elections. But he believed Atiku would the right thing by nominating him (Wike). Hear him: “That he (Atiku) was going to run with Okowa. That Okowa supported him. We were all aware. It is not that we didn’t see. Take for instance the United States of America, (Joe) Biden ran and the current vice president of America, Kamala Harris, gave Biden serious problem. When they wanted to pick the Vice President, Biden said this woman gave me serious problem, I cannot pick this woman, but those in Biden’s camp, who meant well for him told him, ‘If you want to win this election, you must pick Kamala Harris.’ And look at the support (for Biden) today. “The problem with some of our leaders is that there are so many rent-seekers around them. They (rent-seekers) have not been in power for years. So they are all looking for how to bounce back. They are people who have no value to add.”

DAVID MARK, OTHER RETIRED GENERALS BETRAYED ME

According to Gov. Wike, some ex-military generals and other Peoples Democratic Party members met on the night of the party’s presidential primary and special convention to prevent his emergence as the party’s presidential candidate. Wike revealed that the meetings were held in homes of ex-generals on the night of the convention in a bid to prevent his emergence.There is nothing they didn’t do for me to step down” he said. Wike said Senator David Mark played a spoiler role, accusing him of working in favour of Atiku. “ We have all spoken and addressed delegates. But the chairman of the primary election committee, Senator David Mark created room for Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State to speak. Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s singular privilege to speak and withdrew from the race was against the rule of play. David Mark did not allow any other person to speak. David Mark gave undue advantage to Atiku. We would have ensured the primary did not hold but for our love for the party .”

MY PROBLEM WITH ATIKU ABUBAKAR

Wike said his anger at Atiku was because the candidate was deceitful. He alleged that Atiku says one thing and does another. Hear him: “The candidate (Atiku) knows all these. He even said it to me when he came to my house in Abuja. Wike revealed that when Atiku visited him in his house after the primary election, he said he wants to work with me but I told him it’s not true that he has promised another person that position. He raised a committee because according to him, (Atiku) he doesn’t want to make the mistake he made in 2019 in choosing his running mate. Wike denied lobbying members of the selection committee and challenged anyone of them to come forth and say he talked to them to favour him.

On the issue of Ayu resigning, Wike further revealed that Atiku assured them during their meeting in London that Ayu must go that he should be given one week. He commissioned the Governor of his home state, Fintiri to see to that.

He said Atiku told them that he confronted Ayu on the issue of him (Ayu) resigning if a Northern presidential candidate emerged and he (Ayu) confirmed saying so.

Wike went on to say that when Atiku changed his mind about Ayu, he should have called those of them that met with him earlier to tell them and not go ahead and do a different thing.

Wike frowned at the inability of leaders to respect their words and said its bane of leadership failure in the country.

AYU IS CORRUPT

During the interview, Wike made serious corruption allegation against Ayu. Wike said the National Chairman collected 1 Billion Naira from some members in Lagos. “Ayu is corrupt. Quote me. I am a lawyer and I am the governor of Rivers State. Ayu collected N1 billion in Lagos.

He threatened to reveal the names of those that raised the money and how it was paid should Ayu deny it. He also threatened to reveal the names of other Governors that Ayu collected money from.“He told one of the PDP presidential aspirants before the primary that the governors were not ready to fund the party.

“I know how the money was arranged and those involved in packaging the money. He collected the N1 billion. Let him come out to tell Nigerians it is not true and I will reveal more”.

*Gov. Wike

WHY I WENT AHEAD WITH THE CONVENTION

On why he still went ahead with the convention after noticing the betrayals, Wike said, “Those who know me, know that I would have stopped the convention, even if heaven falls.

“But I said for peace to reign, let the convention go on. Now a candidate has emerged. And we need to win elections as a party. That is the ultimate, winning elections.

“But the right things must be done. It was agreed and it has been the practice of the party that if the candidate comes from the North, the national chairman should come from the South.

HOW I REJECTED TINUBU’S OFFER TO JUMP SHIP AND RUN FOR SENATE

Wike revealed that the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu wooed him to run for senate after he lost the presidential ticket of the PDP. Wike alleged that Tinubu accosted him amid the PDP crisis and wooed him to go for the senate, but he rejected the offer. Wike said he refused to make decisions that will affect the overall interest of the party despite the internal crisis at the national level, which he claimed was fomented by Atiku, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and the party’s chair, Iyorchia Ayu.

WHY AYU MUST GO

Wike maintains that Ayu must step down and give room to equity and fairness in the party.

Asked if his actions after the primaries were not traits of a bad loser, he replied, “I never collected senatorial form, other candidates did and that is how you know those who are serious and those who are unserious”.

He opined that he didn’t contest for the ticket because he wanted to settle for the position of vice president.

“Imagine a national chairman, Ayu went ahead to describe Tambuwal as hero of the convention,

“You heard what Jang said, he described Ayu as a referee who helped one of the sides to score a goal and then blew a whistle that a goal had been scored.

“There’s nothing Ayu did not do for me not to emerge as the PDP candidate. Ayu did everything to manipulate the system to ensure that all the numbers did not add up,” he said.

SUSPEND ME IF YOU CAN

Meanwhile, Gov. Nyesom Wike has dared the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP to suspend him from the party.“I beg them today, they shouldn’t waste time. They should call a NEC meeting and say the Governor of Rivers State, you’re hereby suspended from the party.Anything you see you take. They know what I will do.“Nobody has the monopoly of making problems.”

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