Spokesperson to Atiku’s Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, has accused Rivers State governor of kicking against the micro zoning of the PDP ticket to the South East, a move Bwala said would have very likely seen the former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi emerge PDP’s presidential candidate.
“Peter Obi moved to Labour Party and the ‘Obidient’ movement was formed as a result of Wike’s actions because Obi was frustrated out of the party in Anambra State by Chris Uba owing to the position that was held by Wike. The whole gamut of zoning was brought by Wike because he is the one that brought Ayu and I recall that when the discussion that power should be zoned and Atiku said that if power must be zoned, it should be zoned to the South East or the North East because they are the two zones that have not benefited.
“Then Atiku said if it was ever zoned to the South East, that he was not going to run because the movement then was that it should be micro zoned to the South East . But Wike frustrated zoning to the South East because he was interested. He influenced the emergence of those who sat in the zoning committee and at his behest, a recommendation was made that the ticket should be thrown open, evidently because he is not from the South East. If not for that, Obi or Pius Anyim would have emerged the candidate of the PDP,” Bwala said.
Meanwhile, a member of the PDP presidential campaign council, who pleaded not to be named, described the comments by Wike, in his television interview as unfair.
The party leader said this was not the time for anyone to settle non-existent scores, stating that all hands needed to be on deck to rescue the country from the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration.
According to him, in all his political life, there is no evidence so far that Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, has in his actions or pronouncements, portrayed himself as an unworthy and unreliable political leader.
“He distances himself from disreputable actions and embraces the noble values that could propel our country to decency and greatness. This is what is responsible for his political activities: to be given an opportunity to contribute to the greatness of the nation and help advance the potentials of the country and its teeming youthful population. The Wazirin Adamawa remains a man of deep conviction, honesty and integrity.
“Governor Wike says he is fighting for fairness, justice and equity. But in the pursuit of all that, the governor assumes the state and the entire south of the country. With all sincerity and as a party faithful which he claims to be, he should stop fighting a war that does not exist. It is also important to dispel the impressions that may have been created during the interview that key political positions have been shared. Yes, politics is about negotiations and more negotiations to reach a consensus and, sometimes, even compromise, it is a futile exercise for positions to be shared when an electoral victory has not been secured. We appeal to Governor Wike that Nigeria is in desperate need of visionary leaders to rescue and redeem the nation from this wrecking administration. This is not the time to pull punches and settle scores particularly when they do not exist, but a time to combine strength and efforts to lift our people from nearly eight years of sustained pain and despondency. It is our prayer that God will rescue the country through PDP.”
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, kept mum over accusation Governor Wike, that he allegedly collected N1billion from an unnamed source in Lagos, prior to the opposition party’s presidential primary in May.
When Saturday Sun contacted Simon Imobo-Tswam, Special Adviser, Media and Communication to the PDP national chairman, for his reaction, he said: “I have no comment.”