Frustrated Wike Lacks Integrity, Unstable And Incoherent – Atiku Campaign

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State has lambasted Governor Nyesom Wike for revoking the approval for the party’s presidential campaign in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

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

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.

PDP had gotten approval for the use of the venue a couple of weeks ago, though with the condition that the government would access the venue 48 hours before the electioneering event.

In a letter dated January 31, 2023, that was addressed to the Director General of the Atiku campaign organisation and Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, Rivers State Commissioner of Sports, Barrister Christopher Green, said intelligence revealed that the Atiku campaign organisation was collaborating with the governorship candidate of APC, Arch. Tonye Cole, to accommodate and share the approved facility for the presidential campaign.

It added that information at the government’s disposal show that activities of the APC in the state have always been marred by violence due largely to irreconcilable internal conflicts within the party.

“In the circumstance, the Rivers State Government has come to the painful but inevitable decision to withdraw the approval earlier given to you for the use of the stadium, and the said approval is hereby withdrawn,” the letter read.

Reacting in an interview with The PUNCH, the spokesman for the PDP PCC in the state, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, stated that Wike’s earlier approval was a Greek gift.

He said the governor was not a good fighter because a good fighter knows when to quit, stressing that from all indications, the governor was increasingly frustrated.

Nwibubasa stated, “We are not surprised when certain decisions are taken because it all amounts to the fact that the level of frustration is increasing. He should return to his party and return to the part of peace. And that is part of honour. No one fights a war and refuses to evaluate the same war, and knows when to call it quits. He is not a good fighter.

“For the presidential candidate of the PDP, we are very certain that Rivers people are happy with him. They are in love with him, and they are going to vote for him en masse come February 25, 2023.”

Preferred Presidential Candidate

Speaking further, Nwibubasa said Wike lacks integrity for not naming his preferred presidential candidate in January as he promised.

He said: “His inability to name his preferred candidate as publicly announced in January, again is a pointer to his level of instability and incoherence.

“It tells of his integrity that he cannot match his words with action. So, for us, it is painful that we have a governor who says one thing and does the other.”