Former Vice President and presidential aspirant, Abubakar Atiku, has got a swift reprimand from Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over his claim that the 2023 presidential ticket of the opposition party belonged to him.
One of Atiku’s former loyalists, Kazeem Afegbua, had lambasted the former VP, saying he only grabbed the PDP ticket once (2019) and thus cannot say it was his birthright.
Reacting in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said the outcome of the primaries of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would shock many. This has been interpreted to mean that the likes of Atiku may be shocked and that underground moves may have been underway to ensure he is not the person to clinch the ticket.
Such plot was also crafted in 2019 in the Port Harcourt convention of the PDP (when the host governor had openly worked for Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State) but Atiku wriggled through and picked it to the chagrin of Wike who drove fast back to the Government House. Atiku followed him to appease angry opponents before leaving the Garden City. Both sides may have learnt huge lessons toward 2023.
He said whoever that emerges of all the aspirants should rest assure that the entire party will rally round and make sure that he wins the 2023 presidential election.
Wike, while speaking in Port Harcourt on Sunday, said comment by former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar that he will always clinch the party ticket could amount to taking convention delegates for granted.
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Wike said he was committed to do anything that would ensure PDP returns to power in 2023, and begin once again the process of rebuilding the nation after years of All Progressives Congress’ (APC) poor governance. “People should watch; there will be shock as far as PDP convention is concerned. People should watch what is going to happen. People like to underrate so many persons and it is not good in politics,” he said.
Speaking on the timetable just released by the Independent National Electoral Committee (INEC) timetable at the weekend, Wike expressed confidence that the National Executive Committee (NWC) of the PDP would ensure the party abides by the timetable.
“We are law abiding party. The party will soon meet; the NEC will meet and find the way forward on how we will put our house in order and make sure we religiously follow the timetable of INEC without violating any provision of the law and guidelines that INEC may have produced,” he said.
Governor Wike commended PDP leadership in Plateau, Cross River and Ondo State for the sterling performance of the party in Saturday’s by-election.
He attributed the victory of the PDP in the Jos North/Bassa federal constituency in Plateau State to the recent decision of the former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Senator Jeremiah Useni to set aside their differences and work for the interest of the party.
Gov Wike also lauded the PDP for winning the Akpabuyo State Constituency by-election in Cross River State, irrespective of the violence unleashed by the APC government in the State.
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