THE Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says he will soon speak on recent developments in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), of which he is a top member.
Wike said in a statement released today by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, that he needed to reveal to Nigerians all that had transpired in the PDP since the emergence of a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 elections.
“On Atiku, I will speak soon, and Nigerians will know the actual truth of all that has transpired in the PDP in recent times,” the governor said.
The ICIR had reported on Thursday July 21, 2022 the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, saying he, Wike, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and others would remain in the party.
Ortom said the aggrieved governors, including himself, met recently in London and decided to remain in the PDP, despite Atiku’s refusal to pick Wike as his running mate after the party chiefs had recommended him.
Atiku had defeated Wike and other contenders for the party’s presidential ticket in the party’s primary held in Abuja in late May. Wike came second in the exercise.
Rather than choose Wike, who Ortom said majority of the PDP governors had recommended, Atiku went for the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, a development that irked the Wike camp, which has largely been silent since then.
Atiku said yesterday during a recorded interview on Arise TV that he chose Okowa because he believed him to be the person he could work with.
Atiku will be contesting the presidential election in 2023 against the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu; and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, among others.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org