Wilson Adekumola
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, lost his bid to win the just concluded presidential election because he neglected the warnings of the G-5 governors of the PDP.
Recall Wike and and some other PDP governors under the umbrella of G-5 had demanded the resignation of the Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu before the general elections which was declined by the chairman and some other stalwarts of the party.
Governor Wike, however, explained the loss of the PDP at the February 25 polls was avoidable, adding that if the national leadership of the party had yielded to the demand ot the G-5 governors for the principle of equity, fairness and justice, before the elections.
The governor made this disclosure on Monday , at Okomoko Community Field while inaugurating the Chokocho-Igbodo Road in Etche Local Government Area.
According to the Sun, he expressed satisfaction that the presidency has returned to the South because President Buhari who is a Northernner will complete his eight years at the presidency by May 29.
He said, “Our constitution says in Section 7: 3c that, there shall be rotation of public offices; of appointive and elective. You took the chairmanship of the party. You took the presidential candidate slot of the party and we came to you, saying this is against the spirit of our constitution.
“Give us back the chairmanship, you said no, that you must have it all because you have won. I said be careful then, and nobody wants to remember all those things when we were shouting.”
Wike, who was critical about the protest against the outcome of the presidential elections, said he was in Rivers inaugurating projects and satisfying the development needs of the people while aggrieved parties were demonstrating.
Governor Wike stressed that instead of criticizing other parties, he prioritized campaigning for the true lovers of Nigeris to vote for a southern presidential candidate in the spirit of equity, fairness and justice.
He said, “That is what we have argued for, that the North has had it for eight years; therefore, the South should have it for eight years. So, I am not here to persecute anybody.
“As far as I am concerned, anybody from the South is where I stand. That is what we agreed as integrity group, that we must make sure that the South emerges as the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
While expressing his belief in rotation of presidency he submitted that he is one of the apostles who stood firm that power must rotate and it was based on the conviction of equity, fairness and justice.
He told Etche people that what is important is that we have southern president no matter who they voted for.
Commenting on the governorship candidate of APC in Rivers State, governor Wike said Tonye Cole lacks the character to steer the affairs of the State.
He stated, “People are terrible in politics, those who cannot stand for what they say. When I say something, you can go home and sleep, knowing that I said something.
“Look at the APC candidate (Tonye Cole), he posted on social media, congratulating Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, but within one hour, he pulled it out. Is that a man? Is that character? I don’t understand. This is a man who all of them, both their leader, even some of them who claimed they’re in PDP, all of them in this State voted against a southern presidency.”
He stated further that, “They voted Atiku Abubakar. The same people now turned around to say, support me (Tonye Cole), it’s only Wike that did not support Obi.
“Look at people who don’t have character, are they the ones you want as governor of Rivers State? I have character, go to anywhere, I have character. There are characters whom you cannot trust.”
