Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has accused former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, of telling lies against him.
Wike, who made the accusation while speaking on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport yesterday, also accused Atiku of using some stalwarts of the main opposition political party to spread falsehood about him.
The governor vowed to respond to both the PDP presidential candidate and the party chieftains who he described as Atiku’s ‘attack dogs’ one-by-one and line by line in due time.
He faulted comments credited to the former vice president on the day he unveiled Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in Abuja.
Wike said: “I had decided to be quiet because PDP is a party I love so much. I have moved on to conclude my social contract with the people of Rivers. However, it is time to let Nigerians know the truth.”
The governor stated that posterity would not forgive him should he fail to set the records straight and promised to clear the air after the commissioning of the projects lined up for inauguration by the state government.
On the reconciliation committee set up by the PDP leadership, Wike stated that Atiku Abubakar had yet to send any delegation to him.
The governor however said a former president of the senate, Bukola Saraki, met with him in Spain, although in his personal capacity.
He said: “The former vice president came to my house to beg for support but suddenly does not know the way to my house any longer.”
Wike went on to challenge anyone to identify that he or she was sent by the PDP candidate to speak to him about the issue in the PDP and the aftermath of the party’s presidential primary.
The governor, who said the idea of setting up a committee was only being seen in the media, added that he would remain in the PDP and help rebuild the party.
He said: “I am not a slave and will not be a slave. I am freeborn of the country.”
He described as unfortunate, comments credited to respectable party members against him after the PDP presidential primary.
He maintained that the right thing such persons should have done, particularly the PDP presidential candidate and the PDP national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, was to reach out to him, but did not.
