Why we are not campaigning for Atiku Abubakar in Rivers – Wike

Ibrahim Bakare/Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State will not be campaigning for Atiku Abubakar, the party’s Presidential Candidate because he picked the “enemies” of the state into his Campaign Council without consulting him.

He said he and Rivers PDP will not be working for Atiku Abubakar to win the Presidential election.

Governor Wike also explains that is also why the photos of  Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, are missing from PDP campaign materials and posters in the state because they didn’t approach him (Wike) for any campaign.

Wike spoke at the inauguration of the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, the state capital said: “Some people have asked me why is it that they don’t see the Presidential candidate’s picture (and) the party chairman’s? I said what are you talking about? The Presidential Candidate entered my state and picked members of the Presidential Council without a whole governor of a state having a contribution,” he said.

“The presidential candidate entered Rivers State and picked those he wants to pick without the contribution of the governor. So, they said they don’t need me to campaign for them, that they don’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself?

“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers State and go and choose those who are enemies of the state without the contributions of us,” the governor added.

Since the Presidential primaries of PDP which Atiku Abubakar won and he Wike came second, he has at daggersdrawn with Atiku and Ayu, insisting accusing them marginalizing the Southerners in party as northerners cannot occupy the position of Presidential Candidate, National Chairmanship, Director-General positions of the party at the same time. 

The governor who is Chairman of the PDP campaign Council he inaugurated today said campaigns of party have officially been flagged off in State.

It is worthy of note that Wike and  his group in PDP have not attended any of Atiku’s rallies  since the official commencement of campaigns on September 28, 2022

At the inauguration of the Presidential campaign at Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state capital, Wike and his group were conspicuously absent.