Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dismissed Senator Dino Melaye’s governorship ambition in Kogi State, saying the two-time member of the National Assembly does not have what it takes to vie for such a position.
The governor was speaking during a media chat with selected journalists in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Wike said: “When you give Dino that ticket, you know he won’t win in Kogi State.
“Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking?”
He said the mere fact that someone is from a place does not equate to electoral success if such a person contests an election.
“Dino does not have what it takes for crying out loud,” Wike maintained, adding that, “He knows me very well. He does not have what it takes to be a governor.”
According to him, if the PDP gives the ticket to the former Kogi West lawmaker, the party is doomed to lose the exercise.
“Does it mean now that if the PDP wants to win the election, it would give the ticket to Dino and you say tomorrow that you were rigged when you have already killed yourself?
“Are we saying that we want to win an election or just have a candidate?,” Wike asked.
The governor said he won’t campaign for the PDP if the party gives its governorship ticket to Senator Melaye.
“Do you need to ask me that kind of question? Are you not aware that I would not do that?” Wike said when asked if he would campaign for the main opposition party if Melaye wins the ticket.
He accused the party’s leadership of trying to “manipulate” the process in favour of Melaye.
“Why are you trying to manipulate this in favour of one aspirant?,” Wike queried.
But, Senator Dino Melaye has responded, saying that the Rivers State governor was suffering from a psychotic disorder.
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Melaye exclusively told LEADERSHIP that Wike has nothing against him save for the fact he didn’t support his selfish tendencies in the PDP.
“For the Kogi governorship race, I have contested before in 2019. Wike supported me with a private jet because I was qualified then. But now Wike couldn’t understand why I should be the next Governor of Kogi State in 2024 because he falsely sees himself as a godfather outside Rivers State, which is a sign of psychotic disorder.
“My credentials are clear – I am not corrupt, no anti-corruption agency is looking for me. I was a two-time member of the National Assembly, I served my people diligently and attracted developments to my constituency and senatorial district respectively. After May 29, we will get know whether Wike is wanted or not.
“What is even the worth of Wike’s support? The answer is zero or total failure. In the just-concluded 2023 general election, he wasted Rivers State government money in Cross Rivers State to install a govenor for them but his candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, failed woefully. Similarly, he embarked on the same misadventure in Akwa Ibom State, his candidate, Senator Bassey Akpan, lost to the PDP candidate. Also, his closest friend in the G5 misadventure, Samuel Ortom, couldn’t win a senatorial election despite the amount of Rivers money misappropriated into the venture. So, Wike should steer clear of Kogi politics!,” Melaye stated.
