Atiku can’t win 2023 presidential election without me - Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not win the 2023 general elections without his involvement and those of four other governors from southern Nigeria.

Mr Wike stated this during a live media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday.

The PDP has been enmeshed in leadership crisis since the party’s primary where Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, defeated Mr Wike and other aspirants to emerge the party’s presidential candidate.

The crisis was further exacerbated after Mr Wike was overlooked for the position of running mate to Atiku. The Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was picked, instead.

Mr Wike, feeling aggrieved, accused the party of betraying him and breaching its constitution.

He subsequently demanded the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu – a criterion he said must be met before he discusses giving support to Atiku in next year’s poll.

The Rivers State governor’s argument is that both Mr Ayu and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku, come from northern Nigeria.

But the party leadership has refused to accede to Mr Wike’s demands, fueling speculations that the Rivers governor could defect to another political party ahead of the elections.

Mr Wike has in his group Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

During the Friday media chat, the governor debunked speculations that he was planning to leave the PDP, claiming his departure from the party, alongside other governors, would affect the PDP’s chances of winning the 2023 general election.

“If I leave the party today, PDP cannot win the (2023) elections. They can’t win any of their polling units if we, the five governors, today, say we are leaving this party. We are not just ordinary governors. We are very formidable, very strong,” he said.

“There is nobody that wants to win elections that will continue the way they are doing,” Mr Wike said of the PDP national leadership.

“This is not the first time. I have supported so many states financially (to win elections). Just that most of them are not truthful. I have supported Plateau, Ondo, and Cross Rivers severally. They cannot deny it.”

Appointment of 28,000 aidesGovernor Wike defended his recent appointment of 28,000 new aides.

He said it was part of his administration’s initiative to alleviate poverty.

“Is it not the duty of the government to reduce poverty? Is it not the duty of the government to empower its people?” he said.

“We met this morning and we are going to increase it to 100, 000. They are all Rivers people,” Mr Wike added.

Omehia’s saga

Mr Wike also spoke on Celestine Omehia, who was, last week, derecognised by the Rivers House of Assembly as a former governor of the state.

The House had directed Mr Omehia to refund over N696 million monetary entitlements within a week.

Asked what will happen if Mr Omehia fails to pay after seven days as directed, Mr Wike said the government would explore a number of options to compel him to make the refunds.

“He (Omehia) has to pay or he should challenge us in court. The attorney-general will advise us on what to do because the state government has a number of options to take.”