By Tosin Olatokunbo
Governors Nyesom Wike and Godwin Obaseki were once strong political allies until recently when they were set apart due to next year’s presidential election.
Obaseki, The Source magazine recalled, rode on the support of Wike to contest under the PDP in the governorship election in 2020 after he was forced out of his former party, the All Progressives Congress, APC by his former benefactor and former chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole.
In fact, Governor Obaseki had to visit Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, at a point to enlist his support before he finally dumped the APC.
Obaseki later won the election.
But the centre can no longer hold for the former allies who appear to have gone their separate ways due to 2023 presidential politicking in the party.
The magazine learnt that trouble started after Wike unsuccessfully tried to seize the party structure in Edo state from Obaseki, who last week said no one would push him out of the PDP.
The Edo governor had at a meeting of PDP stakeholders in the state accused some party leaders of treating him and his supporters as strangers in the party.
But the real problem came to light after the Rivers helmsman accused Edo state Deputy Governor Phillips Shuaibu of threatening the PDP last Saturday.
Shuaibu, while speaking at the same fora warned that he would bless his supporters out of the PDP, thus upsetting Wike who called him all manner of names, including that he dressed inappropriately by wearing ‘Kharki’ as the deputy governor.
Wike dragged Shuaibu so much so that he also described him as an ingrate, for daring to threaten the PDP which gave him and his principal, Obaseki the chance to contest the governorship election under its platform.
The Edo helmsman has now fired back in what watchers of politics in the country described as an equal measure of Wike’s diatribe against Shuaibu, accusing his counterpart in Rivers of desperation to clinch PDP presidential ticket for next year’s election.
They, however, warned that the dog fight may further polarised the PDP and further weakens it as it plans to take over power next year.
Obaseki said in a statement he personally signed that Wike had become blinded by his presidential ambition that he doesn’t care if the party is destroyed.
Speaking at an event in Port Harcourt, Rivers state last weekend, Wike described Shuaibu as indisciplined, calling on Iyiorcha Ayu, the national Chairman of the PDP to discipline him for his action.
According to Obaseki, “the recent personal attacks by His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Nyesom Wike, against my Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu is, to say the least, most unfortunate and totally uncalled for,” the statement reads.
Obaseki said “his Excellency, Governor Wike should have taken a cue from the manner in which the National Chairman of our party, Sen. Dr Iyorchia Ayu, responded to my deputy’s remarks, as a conscientious leader who is able to show empathy and consideration.
“It is necessary to recall at this point that a political solution gave rise to the emergence of Chief Dan Orbih first as Acting and then as Substantive National Vice Chairman, South-South, of our party, when Chief Emma Odidi resigned that position to allow Chief Orbih to ascend,” Obaseki said.
“It is, therefore, curious why this type of political solution is no longer tenable to resolve the political impasse in Edo State PDP,” the governor said, adding that Wike rather than Shuaibu should be sanctioned for issuing threats to the party.
He voted some instances. According to Obaseki “on September 16, 2018, Governor Wike threatened the party that there would be grave consequences if it moved the National Convention from Port Harcourt in the run-up to the 2019 presidential election.
“On September 12, 2019, Governor Wike also threatened to cause trouble for the party over the emergence of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
Obaseki sccused Wike of becoming too desperate over his presidential ambition, warning that Edo will not be allowed to become his conquered territory.
“It clearly amounts to the delusion of grandeur, for any one man to nurse the idea that he owns or has more stake in the PDP and everyone should pander to him.
“We are all equal stakeholders in the party and an aggregate of the ideas, opinions, and contributions of all leaders and members should form the position of the party and not the view of one individual or a select few,” Obaseki said.
“Edo State cannot and will not be procured for anyone’s personal ambition.
“We will join the great leaders of our party across the country to build PDP into a strong, large, and indomitable party that will win next year’s presidential election.
“We are all equal stakeholders in the party and an aggregate of the ideas, opinions, and contributions of all leaders and members should form the position of the party and not the view of one individual or a select few,” the Edo governor said .
