Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has given rare insights into all that transpired before the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wike who spoke while playing host to the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide, at Government House in Port Harcourt, said Obi was pushed out of PDP because some power brokers in the party insisted on retaining power in the North.
According to the Governor, former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido specifically told Obi that the PDP’s presidential ticket was heading to the North.
He explained that Obi upon hearing the words of Lamido decided to dump the PDP and move to Labour Party where he eventually got the ticket to contest for the 2023 presidential election.
Wike said: “I supported that power must come to the south. When Obi came here, I gave him all the logistics; vehicles, and other support and paid for the stadium, but some other persons applied and I refused. You should know me too well by now.”
“Obi was running with us. I knew when Obi left. He was principled and he said he can’t stand it, people should say the truth. He went to see Sule Lamido in Jigawa, not in Dutse, but in a village that will take you more than four or five hours drive from Dutse the capital.
“You know what he told Obi? He didn’t tell him that look, you came late and I have chosen somebody. He said it is the north that will produce the next president. That was how Obi left saying why is he wasting time. Ask him, that’s how he left PDP.”
“And that was what I saw at the convention ground. Within minutes, knowing that I was going to win, your sons were all the ones who did everything and sabotaged me. I said ok, no problem.
“But I still maintained that look, if you have taken the presidential candidate you can’t take chairmanship again, give us back the chairman and I still stand by that and if you don’t do that whatever you see you take.”
Wike also added that he feels satisfied that power has moved to the south, claiming he never worked against Obi in the 25th February 2023 presidential election.
