From Tony John, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom  Wike, yesterday, said he has no political axe to grind with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

He explained that the lingering crisis in the PDP, often linked to him, had to do with demand from southern stakeholders that Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman, who hails from the north relinquish his position to a southerner.

Wike made this assertion when his political associates and Rivers elders led by the chairman, Rivers Elders Council, Ferdinand Alabraba, visited his private residence in Rumueprikom to felicitate with him on his birthday.

He said he does not regret contesting the presidential primary of the PDP as he simply heeded the call by Rivers elders to go for the plum job.  He said he had nothing personal against Atiku who emerged winner in the primary, but was fighting a cause for equity for southern Nigeria and Rivers people in the PDP.

“I have no problem with presidential candidate. All I am saying is what is the interest of Rivers people; what is  the interest of the South South, and the South…I don’t regret I ran for presidency.  In the name of God, I am happy to make Rivers State proud. I am happy as far I am concerned.  If they had allow it to be what it is supposed to be, I would have won the election. But it’s okay. It has happened.

“People said because I lost election, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t lose election. This is my first time of trying to run for the president of Nigeria and we made impact. If it is easy let them go ahead. Are they not the ones begging?”

The Rivers governor said the panacea to the crisis was for Ayu to step down for a southerner.

He also explained that the reason some of his Ikwerre brothers like Celestine Omehia and former deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara, were begrudging him was because of his insistence that it would be morally offensive  for an Ikwerre man to succeed him or even  emerge PDP candidate for Rivers East senatorial district.

“I called Austin Opara, he sat here and I said look my brother leave it, it will not work. I don’t want to cause crisis in our system.  Amaechi finished eight years as governor; I’m going to finish eight years as governor too, it will be difficult to sell another Ikwerre person as governor for another eight years. Omehia said he wants to go to the Senate, I said leave it. Ikwerre has gone, Ogu has gone, leave Etche to go. You people said I should go to Senate, I said I won’t.  Allwell (Onyesoh) could not have stopped me.

Yes, today, we are majority, you don’t know what tomorrow will be. I never did anything to undermine anybody. We must understand that.”

Governor Wike described as sheer hypocrisy the allegation that he foisted the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Siminalaye Fubara on the party. 

He said the emergence of Fubara was a collective decision reached after those who had indicated  interest to succeed him failed to reach a consensus to produce one candidate.

Chairman, Rivers Elders Council, Alabraba, commended governor Wike for contesting the PDP presidential primary and mounting an intense campaign that has left many astounded till date.