Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan pleaded with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar to support his re-election bid in 2015.
Wike said some PDP chieftains had told Jonathan to relinquish his presidential ticket.
The governor made the disclosure on Tuesday, at the commissioning of the Akpabu-Itu-Umudiogha road in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.
Wike accused the PDP chieftains, who insisted that Jonathan relinquishes the ticket to them, of being the cause of the protracted crisis in the party
He said, “In Dorchester hotel (London), he (Jonathan) went to plead with this our presidential candidate today, Atiku Abubakar, to say please my brother come back to the party and support me.
“You know the condition they gave to Jonathan, he should relinquish his ticket not to run as president of Nigeria. That was a sitting president and presidential candidate of a ruling party.”
The governor wondered why people were against him for demanding the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
“We are not saying the presidential candidate should relinquish the ticket, we are not being selfish. We are saying since you’re now the presidential candidate, let our people take chairmanship, they said they will kill me,” he said.
Wike explained that his previous face-off with Governor Umahi was not personal, but to protect the PDP which mandate the Ebonyi Governor took away to another party.
“Let me publicly say most people thought that you and I are quarrelling, we are not in speaking terms. My dear people, I want to say this, David Umahi has no problem with me personally.
“If there is one governor that David Nwaeze Umahi is very close to, it’s me. I was defending our party when he took our mandate and ran away. And I said my brother bring back our mandate,” Wike said.
On his part, the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, said the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, does not need the logistics support of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, when he visits Rivers State for campaign.
According to him, “My party APC doesn’t need logistics. We have seen how you promised all the candidates logistics support.
“We don’t need logistics support, we need votes just for the presidential one only. All I am asking is that presidential one. I will not ask what is impossible.
“Keep the presidential votes for Asiwaju. He will be coming here to solicit votes…”
Umahi described Wike as a nationalist, who has been inviting stakeholders across party lines to come to the state.
“You have never picked a fight for yourself, it is always for the people. I remember when in 2019 you were fighting for somebody, someone that drove the first dagger against you and you picked quarrel even with me.
“I told you the South-East would support your candidate, but you did not believe. When you narrowly lost the election for the guy, you were angry with everyone.
“You insisted the convention should hold in Rivers. You have no reservations in supporting other people.
“I am an engineer and I know the worth of projects and what you have done here. I will not be part of any campaign here other than presidential campaign.
“I will not come. Your infrastructure is second to none. I thank you for what you are doing in Rivers,” he added.
