Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, chastised Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for threatening to thwart Samuel Ortom’s political ambitions as governor of Benue State in 2023 if he (Ayu) does not quit.
Wike characterized Ayu as an untrustworthy individual whose actions have demonstrated that the PDP, under his leadership, will never change for the better.
The governor made his remarks at the same time as Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, declared over the weekend that he would only try to ensure that the PDP’s candidates in the state won because Ayu was still the party’s chairman.
Makinde is one of the governors and PDP stakeholders who, under the leadership of Wike, pledged not to support Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidacy if Ayu did not step down. They claim this since Atiku and Ayu are both from the same region (North).
In a conversation with media in Port Harcourt, Wike said that Ayu was delaying his resignation because he was focused on contributions that would be made to the party for the general elections.
The governor expressed alarm that the national chairman would jeopardize some party members’ aspirations for 2023, especially Ortom, who acted as his guarantor when he declared his intention to run for the job.
Ayu does not have the authority to prevent anyone from running in elections, according to Wike, who also called certain PDP members who were on Atiku’s campaign train con guys.
His words: “I heard when he said ‘I would have stopped Ortom from running. You see how ungrateful human beings are. This was the same Governor Ortom, who pleaded with us, and said listen, ‘I can take this risk and let him become the national chairman
“This is a man, who never campaigned anywhere. This is a man who never bought form, or bought a poster. Now, he is threatening to stop the man who brought him, who became his guarantor.
“He (Ayu) has seen money, he has seen power, now he can open his mouth to say if he wants to stop Ortom he would have. But we dare him. And he said he can also stop any contestant. He doesn’t know anything. I dare him.
“He (Ayu) is just playing to the gallery. He does not have what it takes. He doesn’t have it.
“We know that he has shown that the PDP cannot change since he is still presiding over PDP.
“Ayu has no integrity. It is a terrible thing. This is not the Tivs I read about in history. This is one Ayu is no.”
Giving further reasons why Ayu was not ready to resign, Wike said: “Why is he (Ayu) not going to resign? He is hoping that Nigerians will donate money to the party so that he will superintend over that money.”.
Wike also chided Atiku’s spokesman, Dele Momodu, for cautioning him and members of his group not to cross the redline.
He said: “These are the things I am talking about. When did he (Momodu) come into the PDP? He came into the PDP two weeks before the presidential race. All of you know how many times Dele Momodu has been in Port Harcourt for project commissioning.
“I have said I will remain in the PDP and fight for our rights. I will not leave the party, and that is what makes the difference. Check them, what are their votes?
I am not looking for a job. I am not looking to be a minister. When you see most of the people around, they have no job. At the appropriate time, we will begin to tell them who they are. Most of them are con men..”
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