PDP bigwigs aided Buhari’s re-election —Wike

RIVERS State governor, Nyesom Wike, has made good his threat to expose alleged dirty dealings between the bigwigs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and notable members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. 

Wike opened the can of worms at the commissioning of the Etche campus of Rivers State University in Etche Local Government Area on Tuesday. 

Wike, who promised to name the affected PDP bigwigs at the right time, said he was approached on the same assignment but rebuffed them, noting that the PDP leaders traded off the destiny of the party with the re-election of Buhari in 2019. 

Wike also dismissed death threat by some faceless leaders of the party, thereby emboldening his supporters not to entertain any fear. 

The Rivers State governor boasted that he can’t be killed no matter the intimidation and the threats. 

He said, “If you are a Rivers man, you don’t need to be intimidated by anybody. We must take our rightful position. So, nobody should be worried. Intimidating me? 

“Some people tell me, ‘Oh, be careful, they will kill you’. Kill who? Who told you, you will not die first? 

“Those of you who are panicking, you don’t need to panic. I have God, what are you afraid of? They have chased us, they fought us but today we are standing very strong. 

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“No amount of intimidation, no amount of threats. This government fought us but we survive. Most of them who are talking now, if this Federal Government had descended on them, they would have crumbled.” 

Speaking further, the governor said Rivers State had contributed the most to the successes of the PDP since 1999 but the state had not benefited for its dedication to the party. 

He added, “Since 1999, I want Rivers people to always reflect on this, to ponder over it. Since 1999, we brought the highest votes for the Peoples Democratic Party. Since 1999, I challenge any state to say they brought more votes than Rivers State. Since 1999, I challenge any state in terms of support for the PDP, which state has given much support than Rivers State. Since 1999, show me one federal project in Rivers State. 

“If you want our votes, tell me what do you give to Rivers State? Nothing can be for dash again. Enough is enough of using Rivers State and thinking we are foolish people and we don’t know what to do with our money. 

“Enough is enough of using Rivers people and saying oh they will bring the votes and when they bring the votes they will push us away.

 “Tell us what you are going to do for the people of Rivers State. Not me; there is nothing any of them can do for me but I am interested in my state, nobody can buy me.” Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, noted that he wouldn’t be enticed with appointments in 2023, insisting that the state must be duly compensated for its contributions to the party. “I am not going to look for position from anybody. Have I not been a minister before? So, what are you now going to entice me with as a person? Nothing. If you don’t tell me what the state will gain, then forget me.” 

Wike has been at loggerheads with the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar trounced the Rivers governor at the party’s primary in May to clinch PDP presidential ticket. 

The governor insisted that Ayu must resign in the spirit of equity and fairness to southerners but the Benue-born former senator has said he won’t relinquish his chairmanship position till after four years. 

At the moment, PDP top positions are being occupied by northerners. Whilst Atiku is from Adamawa State in the North-East, Ayu is from Benue State in the North Central. 

Also, PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Walid Jibrin, is from Nasarawa State in the North Central. 

Meanwhile, Wike met with some governorship candidates of the PDP in Port Harcourt ahead of next year’s election. 

Among the 16 candidates that were at the meeting were Mustapha Sule Lamido of Jigawa State; Isa Ashiru (Kaduna State), and Yakubu Lado Danmarke of Kastina State. 

The PDP candidate for Jigawa State is the son of a former minister, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who has in recent weeks been involved altercations with Wike over the crisis rocking the party.