The 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside has accused the State Governor, Nyesom Wike of wasting N30 billion of State funds on the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Peterside, in a statement on Sunday, congratulated Atiku Abubakar on winning the presidential ticket of the PDP for the 2023 election.
He said the outcome of the PDP presidential primary on Saturday, in Abuja, was proof that Wike, is only a ‘local champion’ who lacked the requisite experience to compete in national politics.
The former Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) urged the governor to submit himself to Atiku to be tutored on how hi-wire politics is played.
“I suggest that Wike quickly returns home, shades off his toga of pride, and submit himself to Atiku to be tutored on the dynamics of national politics and the angles to hi-wire deals” Peterside stated.
While lamenting that Rivers State would be worse off now that Wike had suffered a crushing defeat in the hands of Atiku, Peterside alleged that the former presidential aspirant sponsored his aspiration with state funds, noting that he gave away “about N10bn of public funds in unsolicited charity to States, and about N20bn pursuing his ill-fated presidential bid.”
“That Wike could dip his hands that deep into Rivers’ treasury to pursue his vaulting ambition is a confirmation of my earlier assertion that Wike’s governorship represents our all-time low moments since the State was created on May 27, 1967,” he claimed.
The former NIMASA boss further claimed that in pursuit of his personal ambition, Wike abandoned pensioners and other workers in the state, including education, healthcare, and human capacity development in the state.