… Not The first to congratulate PMB
… Political Rivalry rearing its head
When the news of this congratulatory message broke, not a few Nigerians and PDP sympathizers raised eyebrows. Some called it out of character while others opined that there must be some unhealthy internal quibbles rearing its ugly head in PDP.
CRSDigest can report that Governor Wike is actually one of the last if not the last of PDP governors to congratulate Buhari on his victory. After the polls in February 2019, some PDP governors publicly congratulated PMB for his victory. Some, like the governor of Ebonyi State took out full page adverts in newspapers to “celebrate” the Buhari victory even though the party, with its candidate, was talking about going to the tribunal to challenge the result.
We are informed that Wike holds no grudge.
Our investigation however reveals that a south east governor is so envious of the rising political profile of gov Wike that he was heard calling his representative in the House of Representatives to rally other members of the house over the nomination of Minority leader. He is quoted as saying they shouldn’t allow Wike to have more power! The Rivers rep was not even a nominee of governor Wike. He was been punished for coming from Rivers State.
Gov Wike has been a pillar of support for PDP and there is no sign that it is changing. CRSDigest learnt that Wike wants PDP and especially its governors to wake up to their responsibility of building a strong, disciplined, strategic and viable political party where there is cooperation, trust and mutual respect .
Excepts from a press statement signed by Simeon Nwakaudu,Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has explained that he congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari after the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal confirmed his election because it is better to offer public congratulations than visit the President at night.
Governor Wike said that unlike some Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) who visit President Muhammadu Buhari at night, he made his declaration public because it came from the heart.
He spoke at the Funeral Service in honour of Late Madam Blessing Awuse, Mother of Onha Sergent Chidi Awuse, at the St Luke’s Anglican Church, Emohua on Thursday.
He said: ” I am sure all of you are surprised that I congratulated Buhari. Is it not good for me to congratulate him, than to go to his house in the night?”
“So many PDP Govenrors go to see him in his house in the night. I have never gone and I will not go. I won’t go.”
“We are the only state that the Federal Government refused to pay us our money used to execute Federal projects because I don’t go to see him in the night and I won’t go. He is not my friend, he is not doing well, but he won in court, should I say that the court did wrong, no.”
“President Buhari, congratulations and carry Nigerians along. Unify the country, the country is too divided. I am saying what is right. What I will do, I will do, what I will not do, I will not do”.
Governor Wike said politics is a game of interest, noting that Rivers people in the All Progressives Congress are under obligation to attract Federal benefits to the state.
‘Politics is a game of interest. And my only interest is Rivers State . Anything that is against the interest of Rivers State, I will not agree.
“These people sold us out, thinking that they are doing Governor Wike. It is the State that you are offending, because I am just one person “.
Governor Wike expressed displeasure that Rivers State has key links to President Muhammadu Buhari from the State, yet the East West Road, the seaports and other Federal projects have been completely neglected since 2015. He said nothing indicates that Rivers State has prominent APC members working with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Rivers State Governor maintained that Rivers State is a Christian state. He said that the facts of Rivers being a Christian State will not be changed by negative propaganda and falsehood targeted at his person. He said he never demolished a Mosque as was falsely circulated by some mischief makers.
He said Rivers State is a major oil producing State that deserves major projects from the Federal Government.
“We produce oil . They should not punish Rivers State because of me. I am just one individual. We have not benefited anything from the Federal Government. The only thing we have benefited is the abuse they heap on me.
“They turned the NDDC into a cash cow to sponsor elections against us. Nobody protested that anomaly. Now they want us to protest because someone did not nominate the management of NDDC this time.
“Since 2015, NDDC has not had its governing board, but nobody protested. I will not be dragged into such protests “, he said.
