Politics

Wike reveals how PDP bigwigs negotiated with Buhari, says he can’t be killed

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said he can’t be killed no matter the intimidation and the threats, saying he has God and can never be afraid of any human.

Wike said this on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Etche Campus of Rivers State University in the Etche Local Government Area of the state.

Although he did not mention anyone, the governor has been at loggerheads with PDP national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, over calls for the latter’s resignation.

While Ayu insisted he was duly elected to serve a tenure of four years and cannot resign before his first term in office, Wike had said the PDP chairman must resign as a condition to campaign for the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2023 general election.

Governor Wike and his loyalists said all top positions in the PDP are being occupied by northerners, noting that Ayu, who is from the North-Central must resign as a concession to the South.

Speaking on Tuesday, the governor said: “If you are a Rivers man, you don’t need to be intimidated by anybody. We must take our rightful position. So, nobody should be worried. Intimidating me? Some people tell me, ‘Oh, be careful, they will kill you’. Kill who? Who told you, you will not die first?

“Those of you who are panicking, you don’t need to panic. I have God, what are you afraid of? They have chased us, they fought us but today we are standing very strong.”

He further accused PDP bigwigs of striking a deal with President Muhammadu Buhari to win his re-election in 2019, saying: “When they were going to negotiate with Buhari in 2019, they negotiated with Buhari, that’s why Buhari won election. They came to me and I said no negotiation; PDP must win. I said no.”

Governor Wike added that Rivers State contributed the most to the successes of the PDP since 1999, saying the state had not benefited from its dedication to the party.

The governor stressed that the state must be duly compensated for its contributions to the opposition party.

He said: “Since 1999, we brought the highest votes for the Peoples Democratic Party. Since 1999, I challenge any state to say they brought more votes than Rivers State. Since 1999, I challenge any state in terms of support for the PDP, which state has given much support than Rivers State. Since 1999, show me one federal project in Rivers State

“If you want our votes, tell me what do you give to Rivers State? Nothing can be for dash again. Enough is enough of using Rivers State and thinking we are foolish people and we don’t know what to do with our money.

“Enough is enough of using Rivers people and saying oh they will bring the votes and when they bring the votes they will push us away.

“Tell us what you are going to do for the people of Rivers State. Not me; there is nothing any of them can do for me but I am interested in my state, nobody can buy me.

“I am not going to look for position from anybody. Have I not been a minister before? So, what are you now going to entice me with as a person? Nothing. If you don’t tell me what the state will gain, then forget me.

“No amount of intimidation, no amount of threats. This government fought us but we survive. Most of them who are talking now, if this Federal Government had descended on them, they would have crumbled,” Governor Wike said.

The Star