Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has debunked reports that he sued the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, over the conduct of the presidential primary election.
Speaking at the commissioning of House of Assembly Quarters in Port Harcourt, Wike said he was focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
He said instead of discussing strategies that would make Atiku win elections, the candidate’s men were busy plotting their principal’s downfall.
According to him, “People have called me that I went to court against Atiku Abubakar.
“I want to state categorically, that I didn’t go to court. I just want to say it for Nigerians to know. I have kept quiet. I am busy delivering the dividends of democracy.
“If they lose election, nobody should call my name. I have told the candidate.
“If I wanted to go to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks.
“The Legal Adviser of the party called me and I told him you know there is mischief going on, that you know me very well if I am going to court it is not those kinds of lawyers I would have used and I don’t even know the lawyers. I want to tell the candidate that it is his group that are doing all these things. Let the world hear.
“They are the ones plotting all these things thinking that they would spoil my name. You cannot. The other day they said I removed all PDP flags in Government House. We are supposed to be talking about how you will win election, not about these people. They are not doing him any favour rather they are trying to make him not to win election but if that is what they want, I wish them good luck.
“But after my commissioning of projects nobody should say Wike had started. When I start, I have been on my own they are looking for my trouble. Allow peace to reign. If you say your mother will not sleep you too you will not sleep at the appropriate time.”
Wike asked Atiku to direct mischief makers around him to return to their individual states and work for his victory at the poll.
The governor recalled how he led the plot to deny Femi Gbajabiamila, the speakership of the House of Representatives, and Ahmed Lawan the Presidency of the Senate.
He said the PDP governors and other leaders betrayed their collective position and went behind him to support Gbajabiamila.
“Mr. Speaker I didn’t invite you here because you are an APC member. I invited you because of the role you played for Rivers State to get their money and I said come and see what I have done with part of that money.
“I was one of the last state that the federal government refunded money. Nobody wanted to give me because they said I am fighting for PDP. But you helped me without demanding a dime from me.
“I was one of those who plotted that you should not be speaker. I have no regrets because my business is not to help their party that time even now. My business is to make you people uncomfortable.
“It was in Government House Lodge Rivers State in Abuja where we plotted he should not go. PDP governors sold me out. They supported you even when we have agreed as a party that Femi should not go, and Lawan should not go.
“They went back and supported you. That was why you made Ndudi Elumelu, the Minority Leader even when we wrote you a letter against it. People don’t like the truth but the truth must be told at all times. They are the people who sold PDP. The truth must be told at all time. Now they are saying we will impeach Buhari.
“You don’t have the balls. Ordinary to override the Electoral law they couldn’t. They think they can use Nigerians up and down. Something you know you cannot do why do you say it out.
“I told you in my house before we came here that I plotted against you. If I see any other way to plot I will plot because we are in different parties and anything that will make you uncomfortable is my business. But you are a good man.
“You called me one day and demanded for a name for an appointment. I didn’t believe it. I gave you a name and the person was appointed. It is not about party,” he stated.
Wike recalled that the same betraying attitude was the reason why Atiku lost the 2019 election adding that despite all their plans to deny the APC the required spread, his colleagues in the Southsouth sold out while only Rivers deny Buhari 25 percent votes.
The governor recalled, “In 2019 they all betrayed us. Buhari wouldn’t have won 2019 election because you wouldn’t have had the spread. But all the states in the Southsouth made Buhari to have 25 percent. Rivers didn’t give Buhari 25 per cent. I challenge anybody.
“Today, people will be talking about PDP when we were supposed to have won election in 2019, Rivers State gave the highest votes, the highest logistics. Let anybody come and contradict me. Today people are talking about PDP that they are loyal. They sold our party in 2019 election.
“I told Atiku the other day, all these governors you think are good with you what happened in 2019. Nobody wants to say the truth. Today instead of plotting how to win an election, they are talking about Wike. Wike is not important why are you worried? Allow Wike to rest.
“Everybody go to your state and deliver. I don’t stay in Abuja. I don’t sleep there. I am here everyday with my people. See our report card and see why you will vote our governorship candidates and all the other candidates. We have done well.
“Nigerians, ask your leaders to account for the money they gave to them. I can account for the money. See part of the money. Go to the judge’s quarters; flyovers one to 12, the Law school built in one year. I contested election to render service to the people of the state”.
Wike said the legislative quarters was built to provide conducive accommodations for state lawmakers to make good laws adding that all the houses had been furnished, noting that persons after him would soon hear from him at the right time saying he would choke all of them.
He said: “I haven’t started politics. What I am doing now is to deliver dividends of democracy. That is my business. When I start politics, I will choke them. They think it was a mistake when I went to read political science, then I went again to read law. I will choke them.
“So if every public office holder particularly the executive can account for the money we have gotten, Nigeria will not be like this. People like the speaker did not play politics of party. There was nothing that was not done to ensure that the money didn’t come to us”.
Inaugurating the project, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, thanked the governor for his confessions saying it later became a twist of fate that those he sat with to plot against his speakership bid gathered against him at his party’s Presidential primary.
Commending Wike for his giant strides in the state, Gbajabiamila said though politics had remained a game of permanent interest, Wike’s new journey should be permanent.
He urged the lawmakers to leverage on the conducive nature of their new accommodation to make good laws for the state.
