Nyeson Wike, the Rivers state governor, has fired back at Iyorchia Ayu, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman for saying he has the power to decide who goes for an elective positions.
Wike categorically stated that Ayu lacks the power to stop him or other members from achieving their political ambition.
As reported by AriseNews, Wike, speaking in his private resident in Rivers state during a media parley, said Ayu’s statement reeks of arrogance and impunity.
Wike maintained that Ayu’s threat was directed at Samuel Ortom, the Benue state governor, who he said was Ayu’s benefactor and guarantor when he contested for the party’s national chairmanship.
His statement read in parts:
“That also tells you the impunity, I heard when he said he would have stopped (Gov) Ortom from running. You see how ungrateful humans are. This was the same Governor Ortom, who pleaded with us and said he can take this risk and let him become the national chairman.”
“This is a man, who never campaigned anywhere. This is a man, who never printed any poster even when they gave him money to print posters. Now, he can even tell you that if he wanted to stop the man (Ortom) who brought him, who became his guarantor. That is the corruption we are talking about.”
“He has now come into office. He has seen money. He has seen power. Now, he can open his mouth to say that if he wanted to stop Ortom, he will do it. We dare him. And he said he can also stop any contestant. I dare him. If he is national chairman, I dare him to stop any contestant, if he has what it takes.”
“And what we are saying is, as a man of honour, if he (Ayu) has any, keep to your honour, keep to your integrity. So, the issue of people sacking him does not arise.”
“All we are saying is, keep to the agreement, yes, in order for our party to show inclusivity, to show in our party that we are not marginalising any zone. That if the presidential candidate comes from the north as it has come from the north, then the national chairman will come from the south.”
“So, saying that nobody can sack him does not arise. Nobody has said he must be sacked. For you to be sacked, there are procedures for sacking people.”
