A video circulating on social media has revealed how Lagos residents walked out of a planned rally by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and members of his G5, a splinter group working against the interest of their own political group, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
According to the video, posted by a PDP chieftain, Dele Momodu, Wike and his group, made up of state governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu were in Lagos on Sunday to hold meeting with a few PDP chieftains including Bode George and Jerry Gana.
After their meeting, the group proceeded to address PDP members who have been assembled waiting for their address.
However, immediately Wike began to speak and tried wooing the crowd against voting the party’s presidential candidate, former vice president, Atiku’ Abubabar, the crowd went into frenzy shouting- ‘Up Atiku’, while others started singing ‘Lagos no be Rivers,’ a clear condemnation of Wike’s alleged autocratic leadership approach in his home state of Rivers.
According to the video, the Lagos residents who gathered at the planned, did not stop at the humiliating chants, they also walked out of the venue, leaving Wike and his co-conspirators with shock and disbelieve.
According to a Lagos resident who was interviewed in the video, they walked out on Wike and his group because their mission was not noble as Lagosians are committed to voting Atiku’ and the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate for the state, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, also known as Jandor.
Reacting to the development, Dele Momodu, the Ovation Magazine publisher, who also posted the video wrote in his Instagram account that- “The G5 was humiliated today in Lagos when addressing the party people not to vote Atiku and Jandor in the coming elections, they were disgraced with their dollars, Lagos no be Rivers.
“We are ready to win Lagos state. All Lagos state voters ready to vote Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran aka Jandor and Atiku’ Abubabar.”
It would be recalled that Wike was defeated by Atiku Abubakar during the PDP presidential primary election which took place in Abuja early June 2022.
Since his defeat, Wike has been acting like a bull in chinaware, threatening to bring down the PDP and its structures, especially the political aspiration of Atiku Abubakar.
To that end, Wike, in bed with four other PDP governors, mainly from Southern Nigeria have tried to blackmail the PDP by insisting that the party’s national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu should resign his position as condition for peace and their support for Atiku.
To Wike’s shock, the PDP has successfully inaugurated its presidential campaign council and have commenced campaigns in earnest without Wike and his co-travellers.
Many political pundits have expressed disappointment with Wike over his post-primary election actions with some suggesting that the Rivers State Governor was on political suicide which they say would only be at his detriment, in the end.