The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Friday, claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, allegedly made false statements during his recent interview on Arise TV.
This is as he also confirmed that contrary to reports, the former Vice president was yet to begin a reconciliation move despite claims on pages of newspapers that a committee had been set up to meet with him.
“He (Atiku) appeared on Arise Television, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and you said I should not react to some of those issues. That would not be fair,” Wike said.
The governor described as unfortunate the unguarded public comments credited to respectable party members against him after the conduct of the Peoples’ Democratic Party presidential primaries on 29th/30th May 2022.
The governor maintained that the right thing such persons should have done, particularly former Vice President and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, or the party’s national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, would have been to reach out to him, but they have not.
Wike made the accusation while speaking with journalists at the international wing of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, in Ikwerre Local Government Area, shortly after his arrival from Spain on Friday.
According to a statement issued released by Kelvin Ebiri, Special Assistant on Media to the governor and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the governor also explained how Atiku used the occasion of the unveiling of PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, and his appearance on national television to lie against him.
“But there comes a time that people will understand and know the true facts. So, obviously, whether I will speak is not in doubt, to let Nigerians know the actual truth.
“Having known the truth, whatever they decide to do with it is left for Nigerians.
“Because, you can imagine, the presidential candidate of the PDP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, when he unveiled vice presidential candidate, no right thinking lover of this party would say that the speech he made on that day was fair.
“Forget about the favour seekers. Forget about the scavengers. But I never reacted to it. That is because this party belongs to all of us.
“Thereafter, he (Atiku) appeared on Arise Television, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and you said I should not react to some of those issues. That would not be fair.”
Wike explained that after the PDP primaries he returned to Rivers State to focus on fulfilling the remaining promises that he made to Rivers people.
He said, already a number of completed projects have already been outlined for inauguration and when that was done, he would respond to all the lies peddled against him.
“Assuming today, I’m not alive, obviously what they have said would be accepted as the truth. Look at his (Atiku) attack dogs, Sule Lamido, Babaginda Aliyu, Maina Waziri. Look at the statements they issued. Look at the abuses they rained on me, but I never reacted.
“And Nigerians will ask, you mean these things happened? So, it is important that as a person and for my own future, and for those who rally around me to say, look, this is not fair. So, I will make sure that I will react to them, line by line of the statements made by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar himself and his attack dogs.”
Wike asserted that he contested the presidential primary squarely and emerged in the second position so he will not tolerate being disparaged.
He emphasised on speaking to lovers of the party by putting the record straight so that they will know who is being truthful.
“Look at it, a presidential candidate who believes that he wants to win election, and somebody who contested fiercely with him that has never raised any issue. I just kept quiet, just minded my business, to see how my state can move forward.
“But every day, his people come up to attack me, to say one thing or the other. That’s quite unfair and so I should let Nigerians know at the appropriate time that will be after the commissioning of projects that we have lined up.
“We will say look this is not correct, so that posterity, history will be on our side that we have been able to keep the record straight. So, nobody should be in doubt whether I am going to speak on the issue of PDP, issues of the primaries and other related matters.
“Nigerians will know what happen, Nigerians will know those who love this country, Nigerians will know what went behind. And that is to assure you am going to speak on that,” he stated.
Governor Wike clarified that Senator Bukola Saraki met with him in Spain, but said he was not sent by Alhaji Atiku, so nobody should think in such direction.
Wike wondered why Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who visited him at his place to solicit his support does not know the way to the house he once visited.
THE PUNCH
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