October 24, (THEWILL) – Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, of admitting enemies of the state to his presidential campaign council, adding that the PDP flagbearer had chosen to go ahead without him.
Wike declared that he would not campaign for Atiku because the former Vice President did not consult him before making the appointments.
He explained that Atiku’s photograph and that of PDP national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, have been missing in the party’s campaign materials in Rivers because they don’t want him to campaign for the party at the national level.
Wike, who spoke on Monday during the inauguration of the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the party’s presidential candidate selected those he described as “enemies of Rivers State” into his campaign council for the 2023 general elections.
THEWILL recalls that the governor’s camp has been adamant in its demand for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, since he comes from the same geopolitical zone as Atiku.
Other people in the Wike camp are governors of Enugu, Abia, Benue and former governors from Cross River, Ondo, Ekiti and other top national members of the party.
The Board of Trustees of the party agreed two weeks ago that Ayu should go after the presidential election in February, a decision that is unacceptable to the Wike group which had withdrawn from Atiku’s campaign.
Atiku had included a former executive governor of the state, Celestine Omehia and former national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, political adversaries of Wike, among others, into his PCC.
Speaking on Monday, Wike said: “Some people have asked me why is it that they don’t see the presidential candidate’s photograph and that of the party chairman? I said what are you talking about? The presidential candidate entered my state and picked members of the presidential council without the governor making a contribution.
“The presidential candidate entered Rivers State and picked those he wants to pick without the contribution of the governor. So, they said they didn’t need me to campaign for them, that they didn’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself?
“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers State and go and choose those who are enemies of the state without our contributions.”
Wike stated that PDP members in the State do not know the nominees from the State on Atiku’s campaign list, noting that he and the party in the state will only campaign for the governorship candidate, the senatorial candidates, and others who carry them along.
“If they want us to be involved in the campaign, they will come and tell us. If he thinks we are important, they will come and meet us. Nobody can intimidate Rivers State when I am still the governor.”
He stated that the setting up of the state campaign council was to bring out strategies on how to go along with the campaigns and the election proper.
Wike said: “This campaign council is to bring out strategies on how to campaign on how to follow the election. This election is a different election. It will not be as usual.”
The governor said that each of the 23 local government areas in the state would have its own strategy for mobilising the people.ews
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