Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has described the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu, as an ungrateful politician.
The governor stated that Ayu reneged on his earlier promise to resign as the party’s National Chairman if a Northerner emerges as the PDP presidential candidate, because of N14 billion that is is the coffers of the PDP.
He further stated that since the PDP national chairman does not want reconciliation, his camp was ready to help the PDP lose the 2023 presidential election.
Wike spoke on Thursday at the commissioning of Omerelu internal roads in Ikwerre local government area of the State, which was performed by a former PDP deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George.
The governor said: “Our special guest of honour, it is unfortunate that today, somebody said where were you when we founded the party? That those of you who said the right things must be done were boys and children. Imagine what power can do?
“Imagine ingratitude; imagine how people can be ungrateful in their lives. I thought as a chairman of a party, who wants to win election, your business is to bring peace to your party; your business is not to divide the party. You business is not to show arrogance to your party.
“Ayu said we are children; yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman. Ayu, you were impeached as Senate President. Ayu, you were sacked by Obasanjo in his administration two times. Arrogance cannot take you to anywhere.
“Now, we have seen that you don’t want the party to win election, we will help you. The children you said we are, these boys that brought you from nothing, I say, from nothing. Ayu, you said you founded this party but you left the party in 2007.
“You founded a company and you left the company. People stood and brought out the company to what it is today. You have no moral right to still come and claim that you founded that company. You left with your shares, other shareholders have come in.
“If you want to chair a party that want to take over, you must convince Nigerians that you have integrity; that you are the driver that will drive the vehicle to convey us to our destination. That is the victory we are looking for. If the driver does not have integrity, if the driver cannot show honesty, how do you convince Nigerians?
“We are not the ones who said so, Ayu, you are the one who said so. When we talk about integrity, you said when so so thing happens, I will do so so thing. Now, when that thing has happened, why not show as a man of honour, as a man of integrity, by telling Nigerians what you promised that you will do and now, you have come to do. If now, you tell Nigerians something and you cannot do it, is it when you enter into power that you will do it?
“On your own, on your own volition, you are the one who told Nigerians; we are the ones who championed that the chairmanship should be zoned to the North even though some of my colleagues from the South refused. People like our leader, Bode George is here. He is one of those who said this is what ought to be done and should be done.
“Ayu, where were you? You were sleeping in your house and was calling me every second per second seeking for support. You said I am a boy, Seyi Makinde is a boy, Ortom, your brother, who signed on your behalf, is a boy, Abia is a boy, Enugu is a boy. Today, Ondo will soon join as your own boys.
“Nigerians have seen how ungrateful some of you can be and that is why Nigerians also want to be careful. If you give this man power, if you give these people power, are you sure they will also be faithful to Nigerians? As you make your bed, so you lay on it. It is not me.
“I have kept quiet thinking that we will reconcile. Now, you are showing arrogance to say that you were elected. Where did you campaign? Tell me where you saw his posters anywhere in the state even though we gave him money to print posters. It is a pity.
“I will not speak until after commissioning projects; I will tell Nigerians what you told us at the appropriate time. Nigerians will know the kind of characters that want to come into power.
“I am not interested in the charades. What I am interested in is to fulfill what you said. Stop using Nigerians. You think you are too smart. No problem, Nigerians are waiting; Nigerians are watching. So, for us, let nobody bother, we are not people who are afraid of fight. When the time comes, we will fight and we will win.
“Just of simple money we made from the primaries, about N14 billion; that is why you won’t resign. Nothing much, just N14 billion. Let him preside over the expenditure. That’s all. Integrity matters in life.
“Anything I say to you, I cannot go back. I will tell you I am sorry, I have made this commitment, even though, it might not be the best but I have made the commitment. As a man of honour, as a man of integrity, I have to do it and that is what is called a man. It is not for you now to come using television, speaking in social media and BBC Hausa. If you like, speak in BBC Yoruba if you want to speak.
“You can come to Rivers State and take over votes now. Go and deliver Benue first. Now, you said your governor is a boy. I don’t know why all those who left the party are those claiming to be founders of the party. I don’t understand. Look at people like Bode George, who have suffered but he has never left the party one day. Never! He has remained in the party since 1998.
“But people like Ayu, small thing, they ran away and joined Action Congress where you have a presidential candidate under APC today. You are talking to people who salvaged the party as small children because of N14 billion in PDP account. It will finish.”
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