The originating lawsuit against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has continued to generate heated arguments as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State flung out reports that he sued the party.
The governor and the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu have begun to point accusing fingers over who was behind the lawsuit against PDP and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
On Friday, reports emerged that Wike allegedly instituted a suit against the PDP presidential candidate; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and the PDP over the conduct of the presidential primary of the party which was held in Abuja on May 28 and May 29, 2022.
Reacting to the allegations, Wike who spoke during the inauguration of the Rivers House of Assembly Quarters, distanced himself from the lawsuit while accusing Atiku’s loyalists of initiating the court case.
According to the governor, the loyalists of Atiku are trying to paint his image as one who is against the PDP.
In his words, “People have said I went to court against Atiku Abubakar. I want to say categorically that if I had a reason to go to court, I will go to court. But I didn’t go to court. I just have to say it for Nigerians to know. I have kept quiet and busy delivering dividends of democracy for my party to win the election; people are busy plotting how they will win the election, but others are busy trying to see how they will lose the election.
“If they lose the election nobody should call my name. I have told the candidate; you will lose this election and you will win this election because of the people around you. Anybody who knows me knows that if I was going to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks after the primaries because it is a pre-election matter and after two weeks you can’t go to court.
“The Legal Adviser of the party called me and I told him you know there is mischief going on, that you know me very well if I am going to court it is not those kinds of lawyers I would have used and I don’t even know the lawyers. I want to tell the candidate that it is his group that is doing all these things. Let the world hear.
“They are the ones plotting all these things thinking that they would spoil my name. You cannot. The other day they said I removed all PDP flags in Government House. We are supposed to be talking about how you will win the election, not about these people. They are not doing him any favour rather they are trying to make him not to win the election but if that is what they want, I wish them good luck.
“But after my commissioning of projects, nobody should say Wike had started. When I start, I have been on my own they are looking for my trouble. Allow peace to reign. If you say your mother will not sleep you too will not sleep at the appropriate time”.
On his part, the PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu on Friday said the suit was allegedly instituted by a member of the All-Progressives Congress (APC).
The Chairman while defending Wike said APC has resorted to playing such tricks to cause a crisis in the PDP.
Ayu stated this during the commemoration of the United Nations International Youth Day 2022, put together by the youth wing of the PDP in Abuja on Friday
Hear him; “His Excellency, Gov. Nyesom Wike never took the party to court. It is the APC that did it. The first name in the case is a coordinator of the presidential candidate of the APC.
“We know very well that they don’t believe they can win any election. They have decided to divide you. But don’t let any APC manipulation divide you.
“They are the ones sponsoring false stories of the crisis in PDP. PDP has no crisis; it is a united party. Anyone who thinks they can come and brew a crisis here is deceiving himself. They should wait for us till next year. In February, we will show them that they are the ones with crises.
“I want to make this clear before people start saying: ‘Oh, Wike took the party to court.’ Wike is a strong party man.
“And I am happy that he came out immediately to deny that he took the party to court. And very soon, the truth will be revealed because it’s a criminal thing.”
