Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike says he is concerned about the fate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after former president Olusegun Obasanjo endorsed Peter Obi as his presidential candidate.
Wike made this claim to refute insinuations that he mocked the PDP, when he spoke at Mgbuodohia Community Primary School, venue of the flag-off of the construction of Mgbuodohia Road, in Rumuolumene Town, Obio-Akpor Local Council, on Tuesday.
According to him, Obasanjo had served as President on the platform of the PDP, with Atiku Abubakar as Vice President for eight years; hence, Obasanjo should have been in a better position to solicit the support of Nigerians for Atiku.
But if Obasanjo did not endorse Atiku, Wike noted, then something is fundamentally wrong and members of the PDP should be concerned.
He said: “I meant no evil. I’m only worried as a prominent PDP member. A man who loves PDP should be worried. I was not mocking anybody. I was merely worried.
“My prayer was, let Obasanjo remain quiet and not say anything. That was my prayer. But my prayer didn’t work. My prayer was that if this man (Obasanjo) makes any statement, it will indict us because he was President under the PDP for eight years, and he worked with our presidential candidate. And the campaign by our presidential council is that our presidential candidate, during the eight years, did very well, with experience.”
Wike expressed surprise that instead of people in the party to look at issues critically, and weigh what could be done to correct seeming wrongs, they were, instead, abusing him.
“What did I do? I didn’t do anything. All I did was to express concern. If you care for this party, you should go back and ask what is fundamentally wrong?
“I, who am worried that we should do something, and have expressed it, you are abusing me for telling the party that we should do something…”
The governor insisted it is only those who love the PDP that would be keen at ensuring nothing untoward happens to the party.
Wike described people who are abusing him as jobbers and political flirts who jump from one party to another.
He said: “They are not bothered. But those of us who, since 1998, joined this party, contributed to its survival until now. We keep shouting always when we see danger coming.
“Abuses upon abuses! It will not change anything. Rather, it will spoil more things. What you don’t know, ask people! Seek advice. People will help you solve the problem.”
Wike noted that abusing members of the Integrity Group of the PDP will only complicate the lingering crisis in the party, even as he cautioned persons issuing threats of possible punitive action against G5 governors to perish the thought.
