Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has again urged the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to do the right thing, if the party must win the presidential election in 2023.
The right thing, Governor Wike insisted, was the resignation of Senator Iyiorcha Ayu as PDP national chairman, in order for a southerner to occupy the seat within the principle of equity, fairness and justice.
Governor Wike restated his position during a live interactive media chat in Port Harcourt on Friday.
He emphasised that any leader of a group who caused crisis within the group that he led, truly lacked the requisite skills to navigate affairs of such group.
“This is the time to show leadership skill on the part of those who are leaders of the party. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate. He is the one who feels the pain.”
Wike made reference to the party’s constitution that spells it out in Section 7 (3) (c) that that all political and elective positions must be zoned.
He wondered why it was so difficult for Senator Ayu to respect the constitution or even keep to his promise and quit the office since a northern was elected as PDP standard bearer.
“We have not held the presidential primary before the national chairman of the party said if the presidential candidate emerges from his area, he will quit.”
Governor Wike also accused Senator Ayu of collecting one hundred million Naira, first from a certain governor to renovate the party’s democratic institution, and later went to PDP National Working Committee, NWC, to collect exact amount for the same purpose.
READ ALSO: Wike to Ayu: Your arrogance will ruin PDP’s fortunes in 2023
Governor Wike dared Ayu to deny it.
“In fact, let me also tell you, Ayu collected N100 million from a governor that he was going to renovate our democratic institution and then he went back to the PDP NWC and took the same N100 million for doing the same work.”
He further added, “What kind of system is that? I am telling you all these are facts. Let him (Ayu) say no first and I will tell you (those he collected money from).”
The Rivers State governor pointed to the importance of the mission of rescuing Nigeria expected of the PDP by Nigerians.
But the mission, he said, required a leader with proven integrity to lead the party.
“For God’s sake, knowing that you are in a party that wants to take over the reign of governance in the country, we know Nigerians know the problems confronting the country.
“If a leader does not have integrity, forget it. We need a man who will tell his people this; a man who will be firm, a man who will be courageous to do those things that even people find it difficult to do.
“You are presenting a man who is the head of the party, the chairman of the party, who has no integrity to lead the campaign to take over the reigns of governance.”
Wike explained that the chairmanship position of the party should go to the south before the elections.
According to him, if Alhaji Atiku Abubakar wins in February presidential election, the hawks around him won’t wait until May to take major decisions.
“Who is there to decide for the South? Why will you tell me until when you finish election that’s when a southerner will emerge as chairman.”
Wike described as untrue the report that some former PDP governors, including Dr Peter Odili, were sent to him to resolve the crisis in the party.
Speaking further, Wike decried the perennial flooding experienced in parts of the country as a result of lack of initiative on the part of the federal government to dredge the River Benue and River Niger respectively.
Governor Wike asserted that one way of solving the ravaging yearly flooding situation, was to pay attention to the sources of water flow and end the suffering of Nigerians who become impacted every year.
