Following the successful take off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaigns, Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State has claimed that that the presidential candidate of the party, Abubakar Atiku does not need him in his campaign for the 2023 presidential election.
Wike stated this while speaking at the commissioning of the PDP governorship campaign office and the inauguration of the PDP campaign council in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He accused Atiku of appointing some members of the PDP in Rivers State into his campaign council without his (Wike) contribution.
According to Wike, Atiku doesn’t want him and Rivers people to campaign for him.
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 want 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.
“So they don’t want us to campaign, let’s campaign for those who want us to campaign for them,” he stated.
It would be recalled that Atiku defeated Wike and other aspirants to emerge the PDP presidential flag-bearer for the 2023 election.
Since after his defeat, Wike has formed a rebel group which includes some governors with whom he has been working against Atiku and the party, even as there are indications that the Rivers Governor has finalized plans to decamp to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
All attempts by Atiku and PDP leaders to reconcile with Wike have met brick wall as he has been insisted that the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu should resign from his position, to which the party has said no.