On Monday, August 7, 2022, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State maintained that the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, will not get the votes of his State without giving something tangible.
It was gathered that Wike also threatened some of the state PDP stakeholders who went to Abuja to have meetings with Atiku on how to secure Rivers’ vote without the governor’s contribution.
It was earlier reported that Wike and Atiku have been at each other’s political throats following the PDP’s May presidential primary election and subsequent nomination of a vice-presidential candidate by Atiku.
Against the spirit of zoning, the party voted for Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate. Also, Atiku against the recommendation of a committee he constituted chose, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as running mate, instead of Wike who was recommended by the committee.
Things fell apart for PDP following its going against its constitution and Atiku going against the recommendation of the running mate committee.
Wike had made it clear that his support of Atiku’s ambition must be on a written agreement.
According to Wike’s camp, the governor of Rivers State is demanding that Atiku must sign on paper that he can only be president of the country for on single tenure if he wins come 2023.
Wike is also demanding the immediate resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ayu Iyorcha.
These demands by Wike have not been met, as the leadership of the party, according to sources considered them too much.
Governor Wike on Monday, at the inauguration of Orochiri-Worukwo (Waterlines junction) Flyover, slammed both Atiku and some PDP stakeholders in the state, who he alleged were having meetings with the presidential candidate in Abuja.
Wike stated, “If you say Rivers State does not matter, Rivers State will tell you that you don’t also matter at the appropriate time. If you don’t like us, we will not like you. If you like us, we will like you. Nobody will use our votes for nothing. Our votes will matter and Rivers State must benefit from anybody that we are going to support.
“Politics now is no longer just voting for somebody; it is about what you will do for the people of Rivers State.
“I am fully in charge. I am not that kind of governor people will go to Abuja and hold meetings against. I am fully in charge here.
