Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike on Friday denied knowledge of a purported suit said to have been filed by him seeking the removal of Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s general election.
This comes few hours after some media outfits had reported that Wike had ordered the removal of PDP flags in Rivers State government house, which also turned out to be false.
The governor rather accused some favour seekers who hang around Alhaji Atiku as the masterminds of such plots in their bid to tarnish his reputation.
Governor Wike made the clarification at the inauguration of the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters, which was performed by the Speaker, House of Nigeria’s Representatives, Reps. Femi Gbajabiamila in Port Harcourt on Friday.
“People have called me throughout this morning and said all kinds of things that I went to court against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. I want to say categorically, if I have a reason of going to court, I will go to court, but I didn’t go to court.
“Yesterday too, they said I removed all PDP flags at Rivers State Government House. But I just have to say these things for Nigerians to know that I have kept quiet, and being busy delivering dividends of democracy for my party to win election in Rivers State.
“But I want to tell the candidate, it is the candidate’s group that are doing all these things. Let the world hear, they are the ones plotting all these things, thinking that they will spoil my name, you cannot.
Governor Wike explained that if he wanted legal action against the outcome of the PDP presidential primary, it would have been prosecuted within two weeks after the primary, when such pre-election matters are entertained.
“I didn’t go to court, I have no reason to go to court. But those of you who are plotting and saying that I went to court instead, for you to have come out now to say Wike went to go court, I say shame on you. Shame will be on all of you.”
“I have told the candidate, you will win or lose this election because of people around you. Anybody who knows me know too well that if I was going to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks after the primary because it is a pre-election matter and after two weeks, you can’t go to court.
“The legal adviser of the party called me and I told him that he knows that there is mischief going on. But that he knows me very well, if I’m going to court, it is not those kinds of lawyers that I would have used and I don’t even know the lawyers.”
Governor Wike noted that there is a bigger challenge ahead, and it is how to win the 2023 general election for the PDP. This concern should be the focus of all true lovers of PDP who want electoral victory.
“You’re supposed to be talking about how you will win election. All these rent seekers around him are not doing him any favour. Rather they are trying to make him not to win election. But if that is what they wished, I wish them good luck.
“You see that I am not talking. I am doing my work, so leave me to do my work. Those concocting ideas everyday, social media cannot make you to win election.
“Election is about the people and by the people. Let those in Abuja with you (Atiku), tell them to go home and campaign for you to win election. Leave Wike alone, enough is enough.”
Governor Wike recalled that during the 2019 general elections, the same people claiming to love the PDP more now in South-South, sabotaged the party’s winning chances in the region.
He lamented that instead of them, particularly the governors, to plot on how to win the 2023 election, they are joining in wasting the time plotting accusations that they would level on him.
“When I see people talking about PDP today, I say to myself what is going on in this world. In the South-South, they all betrayed us. President Muhammadu Buhari wouldn’t have won the 2019 election because he won’t have had the spread.
“But all the States in the South-South made Buhari to have 25 percent. It was only Rivers State that did not give Buhari 25 percent, I am challenging anybody on it.”
Governor Wike said the action of those persons who gave President Buhari the winning margin in 2019 invariably also frustrated the winning chances of the PDP candidate then.