The Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike has accused the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Iyorchia Ayu of working against his emergence as presidential candidate of the party.
Wike alleged that Ayu, called many presidential aspirants to withdraw for Atiku Abubakar, who eventually picked the ticket.
He mentioned some of those contacted to withdraw for Atiku as Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed: his Sokoto counterpart Aminu Tambuwal and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
He alleged Ayu also threatened to resign as chairman if he emerged the candidate, stating the National Chairman manipulated the process for the victory of Atiku.
Wike spoke on a live interview on ChannelsTV explaining that the Presidential candidate of the party cannot come from the North and the Chairman of the party also coming from the North.
He insist that the National Chairman of the Party must come from the South in the event the Presidential Candidate has emerged from the north.
Wike revealed that the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, is eying the position of the Secretary to Government of the Federation position should the party win the 2023 presidential election.
According to Wike, “Some people have been given positions as we speak. Ayu wants to become the SFG. These are things happening in the party that we can’t say in public,” Wike said during a media parly in Porth Harcourt on Friday.
This is as the governor boasted that though no one was above the party, those who left the party during the height of its crisis in 2014/2015 cannot suspend him.
He said the crisis in the main opposition party was more than what was being reported in the media and for the sake of peace, he won’t divulge critical information to the public.
Wike maintained that he won’t be defecting to any other party but he would ensure that justice was done and the chairmanship position moved to the South.