The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, clarified that the reason Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was due to certain politicians in the PDP attempting to maintain power in the North.
During a courtesy visit by the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Wike, who expressed his satisfaction with power shifting to the south, insisted that he did not work against Peter Obi during the 25th February 2023 presidential election.
He further explained that he strongly advocated for a Southern president and that Obi’s decision to depart from the PDP occurred after Sule Lamido informed him that power would remain in the North in 2023. These remarks were conveyed by the governor’s media aide, Kelvin Ebiri.
Wike on Why Peter Obi left PDP
“I supported that power must come to the south. When Obi came here, I gave him all the logistics; vehicles, and other support and paid for the stadium, but some other persons applied and I refused. You should know me too well by now.”
“Obi was running with us. I knew when Obi left. He was principled and he said he can’t stand it, people should say the truth. He went to see Sule Lamido in Jigawa, not in Dutse, but in a village that will take you more than four or five hours drive from Dutse the capital.
“You know what he told Obi? He didn’t tell him that look, you came late and I have chosen somebody. He said it is the north that will produce the next president. That was how Obi left saying why is he wasting time. Ask him, that’s how he left PDP.”
“And that was what I saw at the convention ground. Within minutes, knowing that I was going to win, your sons were all the ones who did everything and sabotaged me. I said ok, no problem.
“But I still maintained that look, if you have taken the presidential candidate you can’t take chairmanship again, give us back the chairman and I still stand by that and if you don’t do that whatever you see you take.”
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