Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike, has reacted to reports that he and his allies met with Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in London.
Wike spoke on Friday at the flag-off of the construction of Eneka-Igbo Etche road in the state.
While admitting to leaving the nation, the Rivers governor also stated that the PDP should not be concerned about him and his associates.
“Just to unwind is a problem to some people. Some people say ‘they have moved on; don’t bother about G5’. Why are they bothered about where we go to or where we don’t go to? We go to a club, you’re worried. We go and sleep, you’re worried. Yet, you tell Nigerians you don’t bother,” he said.
“There say there is trouble. There is no trouble; what we have is the introduction to trouble that will come.
“They said we had meeting with so and so. What is your problem? Assuming there was a meeting, has Atiku not been holding meetings with governors of APC? Ask him. As he is in Dubai, don’t we know what is going on? So, why do you bother about us? G5 that you said you can win without us, leave us alone.
“I am not someone who will go and see somebody and hide. Hide for who? Who is that person that will threaten me?”
The Rivers governor also asked the residents to avoid speculations about who he will support as a presidential candidate.
“Wike said we had a deal with so, so, and so person. Meanwhile, no video, no anything. And some of you waste time listening to such things. Don’t you know when I want to do something, I do it? You don’t need to speculate,” he added.
“So, my dear people, I just want to tell you that whatever decision I will take, I will let you know. I cannot take any decision without taking advice from you,” the governor added, urging detractors to leave members of the G-5.
“I just want to enjoy myself and my family,” Wike said, maintaining that he is not contesting an election next year and thus should not be the subject of speculations.
Wike, who insisted that he is unperturbed about the threat of expulsion, however, wondered why those desiring to expel him are displaying anxiety instead of acting out their threat, and see if they would survive it.
According to him, “when the time comes, we will know who has capacity and who does not have capacity.”
The Rivers State governor also reiterated the minimum demand of the members of the G5 group, which is the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman of PDP to allow for a southerner to occupy the office.
We have made our demand and our demand is the national chairman must come to the south. It’s non-negotiable. If you say you don’t care, no problem. Lets go to the field. No need to begin to threaten people you will do this, you will do that.”
In retrospect, Wike recalled how between 2002 and 2003 former President Olusegun Obasanjo knelt down to beg his then vice, now PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to support his second term bid and the conditions the latter gave to him.
“You say we are giving condition, but you forgot history. In 2002- 2003 when president Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for second tenure, he knelt down before his vice president and said my vice please allow me to run. You know one of the conditions he gave him, Tony Anenih must be sacked as the Minister of Works and Tony Anenih must not be in the presidential campaign council. Obasanjo obliged and sacked Tony Anenih as Minister of Works and removed him from presidential campaign council.”
Wike alleged Atiku has been holding secret meetings with governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and failing to keep to his promise of not having the PDP presidential candidate and the party’s chairman from the same region
The G-5, which includes Wike, Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) have been at loggerheads with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in the wake of the party’s presidential primary.
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