The rift between two political heavyweights of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) on Friday, got messier as the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, vowed to reveal other alleged deals against the embattled national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, if pushed to his limit.
Wike made this known in a media chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to the Governor, “If people know what we know, if we release what we have, Ayu’s children will go to him and say we are no longer your children.”
When asked about the N1 billion he said Ayu allegedly collected and that there has been no reaction from the national chairman, Wike said, “There cannot be any comment. He (Ayu) cannot say anything. Look, I am the governor of Rivers state and I don’t just come out to speak.
“Let Ayu say he did not collect N1 billion. In fact, let me also tell you, Ayu collected N100 million naira from a governor that he was going to renovate our democratic institution and then he (Ayu) went back to the PDP NWC and took the same N100 million naira for doing the same work.
“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).”
He added, “A leader must be a man of integrity. And I have realised that people find it hard to have that (integrity) lately. You are presenting a man (Ayu) who lacked integrity as chairman of the party and somebody that wants to lead a campaign to take the reigns of government?
“What is the problem with what we are asking of Ayu? We are saying let there be equity, let there be fairness and justice. But if you don’t want it that way then you are the one causing the crisis (in the party) and that shows you (Ayu) don’t have leadership skills because this is the time to show it. This is the time to show leadership skills on the part of those who are leaders of the party.”
On the money returned by some NWC members, Wike alleged the money was not authorised by the party leadership.
When asked if the money paid to some NWC members was with ulterior motives, Wike said, “Of course. Let me tell you how the money came about. When it was discussed at the national working committee, Ayu said everybody should calm down and that Nigerians are interested, and that Nigerians will bring money to the party.
“I don’t want us to go deeper because I feel that we are not pushed to the wall (yet). If we are pushed to the wall, what the people will hear, will be something else.”
He added, “Let them show the minutes of the meeting where it was approved. You made over N14 billion naira (from PDP primaries and sale of forms) and people are saying look, we are going in for an election, ask them about the election that took place in Ekiti, how much did the party spend? ask them.
“There are people who believe Ayu is my man saying Ayu is protecting me. Look, what can Ayu do to me? What will he do? Can Ayu come and tell Rivers people where or who to vote? He doesn’t have the capacity to do that. So, why am I going to be afraid of him?
“What has Ayu done for me in my life for me to show gratitude? Rather, he should be grateful to me and other people. So, there is no basis for vindictiveness here or when people say you are after him because he is not with you and that is not the issue.
“If you can not honour what your promise, how can you stand before Nigerians and ask for votes or say anything PDP tells you we will do it? when you have not even done the simple one you said.
“And we are trying to help the PDP to remove this burden from us and you are taking Nigerians for granted saying don’t worry all these things (crisis) will die down, die down where?”
