By Charles Igbo
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Monday doubled his attack on his political Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
A few days ago when Wike and his allies held a meeting with Atiku in London, as they also did with the Presidential candidates of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and that of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, not a few people within PDP thought that, finally, the wrangling between Atiku and Wike would soon be over.
However, the first sign that nothing has been settled was the utterances of Wike and two of his Governor-allies who accompanied him to London and were present at all the meetings – the Governors of Benue and Abia States, Samuel Ortom and Okezie Ikpeazu. None of the three, while addressing Reporters at the Porthacourt International Airport, said they were going to support Atiku. They, instead, said they were working for the good of the country.
But on Monday, while unveiling the construction of internal roads at Rumuesara, Eneke town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Wike upped the ante of the crisis in the PDP. and by extension, his wrangling with Atiku. He told the people that something will happen in the PDP soon.
In a brush at Atiku, even though he did not mention his name, he said he would unmask Presidential candidates who are deceiving the people by mouthing they are on a “rescue mission.”
He called them fake. And he called them looters. He said he is in a vantage position to know, and would unmask such people soon.
And in response to those who think he will not be able to influence the voting pattern in the State, Wike put a lie to their thoughts.
Wike: “Now that I have come to Eneka to provide this basic infrastructure, I can come back to Eneka and ask you to follow me, let us go there or let us stay here. Do they have what it takes to come and talk to you? Can they come and talk to you?”
On what will happen next, and his opinion of President candidates, Wike said: “Some other people are busy putting themselves together on how they will take over leadership in Nigeria to loot the remaining ones these other people have already kept.
“I’m privileged to know, and at the appropriate time, I’ll tell you who these people are. You need to know what is happening in Nigeria. Forget about all these people running around, saying they want to rescue and save you. Just watch to see what is going to happen next.
“All of us should be calm concerning what is happening in the PDP. In fact, nothing has happened yet. But by the grace of God, something will happen.”
Wike bears grudges against Atiku for not picking him as his running mate after Atiku beat him to the second place during the PDP Presidential Primary, even when a Committee set up by Atiku and the Party, rated Wike higher than both Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who he eventually picked, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel. Since then, Wike has been implacable, engaging in anti-party activities by publicly romancing other parties.
This is not the first time Wike is threatening the Party or Atiku, but none has been so brazen.
At his meeting with Atiku in London, among other things, Wike, it is alleged, specifically asked for the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to step down on the grounds that the Presidential candidate of the Party, Atiku, is also from the North, same as Ayu.
Sources within the Party hierarchy, however, told this medium that not a few people have had Wike upto their necks. They inform that the Party will soon call Wike’s bluff and move on without him. “His is too much. A tree does not make a forest. Let him go wherever he wants to go to”, an angry PDP chieftain said.
