By Akinwale Kasali
A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP supporters Group, known as the PDP Young Stakeholders, Lagos State Branch, has dismissed the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as a liar. The Group also likened Wike to the Biblical Prodigal son.
The Group was responding to Wike’s allegation on Monday that he was not consulted before some members of the Rivers PDP were appointed to the Presidential Campaign Council. The Governor had declared that the Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had come to his backyard, and without consulting him, picked enemies of Rivers State as members of the Presidential Campaign Council.
But the Group in its response called Wike a big liar and a prodigal son.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Tai Oyekan, the Group revealed that of all PDP Governors, Wike was the only one who refused to send nominees when the Governors were asked to do so. It said that it was after he refused to send the names of nominees, that the PDP Leadership decided to pick people from the State as members.
Oyekan: ” To put the records straight, and which can be corroborated by every stakeholder in the party, the PDP and its Presidential candidate consulted all Governors and leaders in each State before nominating members into the Presidential Campaign Council.
“Whereas all State Governors made nominations into the Council, it was only in Rivers State that the Governor refused to forward his nominations into the Council.
“It was, therefore, upon the refusal of the Governor, that the PDP and its Presidential candidate went ahead, by their own discretion, to make nominations into the Council.
“It is public knowledge that Governor Wike has gone amok with the party since his failure to emerge as the Presidential candidate of the Party and has stated publicly, also, that he would not cooperate with the Party in our Presidential Campaign.
“Governor Wike can be likened to a prodigal son who took his inheritance in annoyance. But we are hopeful that the Party, as father of all will accept Governor Wike back whenever he chooses to return in penitence.
“But before then, we wish to admonish Governor Wike that for the purpose of posterity, he should desist from telling lies against the PDP and leaders of the Party.
“Nigeria operates a Democratic system. That means that Governor Wike has the right to choose whether or not to participate. Be that as it may, however, he alone does not approximate Rivers State.
“There are respected leaders who have made their mark in life and politics and are indigenes of Rivers State.
“We consider it inglorious on the part of the Governor that he would describe such people as ‘enemies of Rivers State’ only because they refused to be a party to his solo-travel to political obscurity.
“We also want to urge members of the PDP in Rivers and everywhere else that the Party is cohesive, and there are many groups, like ours, who are ready to work assiduously for the success of the Party in all levels of the election next year.”
