The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on Thursday revealed reasons why he is still a member of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike said the hopes of Nigerians rests on no other party but the PDP.
The Governor spoke during the commissioning of the reconstructed Aker base road in his state.
Wike, who described himself and others he didn’t mention, as men of character, said if he was that kind of Governor, he would have joined the APC.
“I know how many times people have tried to woo us. We say no, we cannot be wooed. We are here, we are here. We started with PDP, we will end up with PDP.”
Wike said he has “no other political party to join,” insisting that the fate of Nigeria, solely depends on the opposition party.
According to Wike, the PDP is a party Nigerians want and intimidation will not stop him and others who strongly believe in the party, adding, “We are men of character. We are people who stand by what they say. Not for pecuniary interest.”
Wike said he wants the PDP to continue to give Nigerians that hope they are looking for.
The Rivers Governor said he believes everybody is hoping that “by 2023, PDP will take over the reins of power. I am not talking about this state.”
Reacting, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has cautioned Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on the need to be measured in his public utterances, saying he will not gain national popularity by attacking the party.
The party also challenged Governor Wike to name the APC leaders who are making overtures to him, saying APC has never pressurised or coerced anybody to join, rather people are coming into the party out of their freewill.
The Secretary of the party’s Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator James Akpanudoedehe, stated these in a telephone chat, while reacting to earlier claims by Governor Wike on national television.
He said: “Tell Wike, he cannot attain national popularity by attacking or insulting the APC and its leaders. He should come out clean and declare if he wants to join the moving train of APC and not that he is been pressurised or wooed to join.
“Please ask him (Wike) to name his suitors. Who is putting pressure on him? I am not surprised by what he (Wike) is doing.
“I have seen people like him, who hated APC in the past but today they are in APC having seen the light and the good things the party is doing in re-positioning the country and making it work again after years of PDP misrule.”
On the allegation of anti-party activities against Akpanudoedehe in 2019, the APC Secretary said he refused to join issues with Wike, but noted that “this is cheap blackmail.
“This blackmail is no longer fashionable in politics. What we preach and practice in APC is the politics of issues and substance and not cheap blackmail.
“I am a man of issues. I am a man of substance. I don’t join issues on blackmail. Wike can say anything. But ask him how he got to know whom I voted for in 2019.
“Was he in Akwa Ibom or he is a spirit that knows the party I voted for? The narrative of voting for another party cannot hold water. This storyline of blackmail is no longer in vogue.
“Where was Wike in 1999 when I was in the Senate? Is it because he is now a governor that he thinks he can hit the national limelight by insulting APC Leaders?
“He should be mature and respect his exalted office and stop the blackmail game.”
