By Akinwale Kasali
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that any member of the Peoples Democratic Party from his State, who is a member of the Party’s Presidential Campaign Council, is an enemy of the State.
Wike said the reason is that he was not consulted before the PDP picked them from his State.
Governor Wike said he was disrespected and sidelined by the Presidential Candidate of the Party, Atiku Abubakar who picked the State’s PDP presidential campaign nominees without his contribution and consent.
Wike made this allegation while inaugurating the PDP Campaign Councils and the launching of the party’s Governorship Campaign office in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He said that Atiku selected “enemies” of Rivers into his Campaign Council for the 2023 general elections.
Wike stressed that the photos of Atiku and those of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, are missing from the State’s PDP campaign materials because they don’t want him to campaign for the Party at the national level.
“Some people have asked me why they haven’t seen the Presidential candidate’s picture and the party Chairman’s. I said what are you talking about? The Presidential candidate entered my State and picked members of the presidential council without a whole (sic) Governor of a State having a contribution.
“The presidential candidate entered Rivers State and picked those he wants to pick without my contribution. So, they said they don’t need me to campaign for them, that they don’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself?
“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers State and go and choose those who are enemies of the state without our contributions.”
Speaking on who he and his team will campaign for in the forthcoming election, Wike said they will only campaign for the Party’s Governorship candidate, the Senatorial candidates, and others who carried them along.
“If they want us to be involved in the campaign, they will come and tell us. If he (Atiku) thinks we are important, they will come and meet us,” the governor maintained, adding that nobody can intimidate Rivers when he is still governor of the State.
