Atiku’s Camp Names Wike’s Preferred Presidential Candidate

The camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is rooting for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in the forthcoming election.

The PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) asserted this while reacting to Wike’s recent move against its presidential candidate a few days before the 2023 election.

Naija News earlier reported that the Wike-led government of Rivers State disapproved of the Adoki Amasiaemeka Stadium, Igwurita Ali, Ikwerre Local Government Area, for use by the presidential candidate of the PDP.

Atiku and his campaign train are scheduled to hold a rally at the venue on February 11, 2023. But the state government, in a statement on Wednesday, announced the withdrawal of the earlier approval given to the former Vice-President.

Wike Is Working For Tinubu

Reacting to the Rivers State Governor’s action, the Director General of the PDP PCC in the state, Dr Abiye Sekibo, said in a letter dated February 1, 2023, and addressed to the PDP Governor that he (Wike) is working for Tinubu to win the February 25, 2023 election.

Sekibo, a former Minister of Transport, alleged that wike had already directed members of his cabinet, local government chairmen, his aides and party executives at the various levels in the state to support Tinubu in the election.

The letter reads, “Our attention has been drawn to your letter with reference number MOS/C/409/S49/T/17 dated January 31, 2023, and addressed to His Excellency, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council who has minuted the said letter to us for our reaction.

“You stated that credible intelligence available to the Government of Rivers State and recent developments now shows that our presidential campaign organisation is working in collaboration and cohort with a faction of the APC in River State led by Tonye Patrick Cole and that it is the intention of our campaign organisation to accommodate and share the approved facility for our campaign with the said faction of the APC.

“We wish to state as follows in reply: We completely deny your assertion as patently false and perverse, and we believe that our highly respected security agencies cannot furnish you with such untrue and unfounded lies.

“That the PDP Presidential Campaign Council has nothing whatsoever to do with the APC in Rivers State.”

The PDP PCC said it is appalling and highly preposterous for Wike or anyone to assume that it was working with the nation’s ruling party to hold an event in the same venue jointly.

The letter added: “We believe that the only reason for this cancellation is Your Excellency’s notice of our massive mobilisation and total acceptance of Waziri Atiku Abubakar as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the people of River States.

“However we are rather aware by credible information reaching us that Your Excellency has directed all Local Government Council Chairman, Special Advisers, Commissioners, Party Executives at the state, local government, and ward levels, and all other appointees of yours to work for the APC presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tunibu even though you have not dared to announce same to the people of Rivers State.

“Your general public utterances, innuendos and conduct have pointed to the fact that you are bent on frustrating and if possible, preventing the emergence of the PDP Presidential candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Waziri Adamawa, as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The PDP PCC further criticized Governor Wike for his involvement in forming the five aggrieved PDP governors called the G5, describing their move as ‘the height of anti-party activity.’

The party campaign council stressed that it was surprising that Wike is now accusing the PDP leadership of hobnobbing with the APC faction in his state.

Naija News learnt that copies of the said letter were also sent to the Governor of Sokoto State and the Director General of the PDP PCC, Aminu Tambuwal, the National Chairman of the Party, Senator Iyocha Ayu, the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his Vice, Ifeanyi Okowa. Another was also reportedly sent to the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Christopher Green.