Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Monday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, did not consult him before he picked members of his campaign council from the state.
The governor, who spoke at the inauguration of the Rivers State PDP Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, the state capital, claimed Atiku selected “enemies” of Rivers into his campaign team for the 2023 general elections.
Wike also explained that Atiku’s photos and those of PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, have been missing in PDP campaign materials in the state because they don’t want him to campaign for the party at the national level.
“Some people have asked me why is it that they don’t see the presidential candidate’s picture (and) the party chairman’s? I said what are you talking about? The presidential candidate entered my state and picked members of the presidential council without a whole governor of a state having a contribution,” he said.
“The presidential candidate entered Rivers State and picked those he wants to pick without the contribution of the governor. So, they said they don’t need me to campaign for them, that they don’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself?
“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers State and go and choose those who are enemies of the state without the contributions of us," he added.
Wike said PDP members in Rivers do not know the state nominees in Atiku’s campaign list, noting that he and the party in the state will only campaign for the governorship candidate, the senatorial candidates, and others who carried them along.
“If they want us to be involved in the campaign, they will come and tell us. If he thinks we are important, they will come and meet us,” the governor noted, adding that nobody can intimidate Rivers when he is governor of the state.