PDP bigwigs helped Buhari's re-election —Wike

RIVERS State Governor Nyesom Wike has followed through on his threat to expose alleged dirty dealings between the People's Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs and notable members of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) regarding President Muhammadu Buhari's 2019 re-election bid.

Wike opened Pandora's box when commissioning the Etche campus of Rivers State University in the Etche Local Government Area on Tuesday.

Wike, who promised to appoint relevant PDP bigwigs at the right time, said he had been approached for the same assignment but brushed them off, noting that PDP leaders had swapped party fates with Buhari's re-election in 2019.

Wike also dismissed death threats from some anonymous party leaders, encouraging his supporters not to be afraid.

The Governor of Rivers State bragged that he could not be killed, regardless of intimidation and threats.

He said, "If you're a Rivers man, you don't need to be intimidated by anyone. We have to take our rightful position. So no one should worry. M' intimidate?

"Some people tell me, 'Oh, be careful, they're going to kill you. Kill who? Who told you you wouldn't die first?

"Those of you who are panicking, you don't need to panic. I have God, what are you afraid of? They chased us, they fought us but today we are very strong .

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“No amount of intimidation, no amount of threats. This government fought us but we survive. p>

Speaking further, the Governor said that Rivers State has contributed the most to the successes of the PDP since 1999, but the state has not benefited from his dedication to the party.

He added: "Since 1999, I want the people of Rivers to always think about this, think about it. Since 1999, we have obtained the most votes for the People's Democratic Party. Since 1999, I challenge n any state to say they have given more votes than Rivers State Since 1999 I challenge any state in terms of support for the PDP which state has given a lot of support than Rivers State Rivers Since 1999, show me a federal project in Rivers State.

"If you want our votes, tell me what you give to Rivers State? Nothing can be for the scoreboard anymore. Enough is enough to use Rivers State and think that we are fools and we don't know what to do with our money.

“Enough is enough to use the people of Rivers and say oh they will bring the votes and when they bring the votes they will push us back.

"Tell us what you plan to do for the people of Rivers State. Not me; there's nothing any of them can do for me but I'm interested in my state, no one can buy me Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, noted that he would not be attracted to appointments in 2023, insisting that the state must be duly compensated for its contributions to the "I'm not going to seek a position with anyone. Haven't I been a minister before? So what are you now going to seduce me as a person? Nothing. If you don't tell me what the state will gain from it, so forget me.

Wike has been at odds with PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar defeated Governor de Rivers in the party's May primary to clinch a PDP presidential ticket.

The governor insisted that Ayu should resign in the spirit of fairness and justice to southerners, but the Benue-born former senator said he would not step down as president until four years.

At the moment, the leadership positions of the PDP are occupied by northerners. While Atiku hails from Adamawa State in the northeast, Ayu hails from Benue State in the north-central.

In addition, the Chairman of the Board of PDP, Walid Jibrin, hails from Nasarawa State in the North Central.

Meanwhile, Wike has met with some PDP gubernatorial candidates in Port Harcourt ahead of next year's elections.

Among the 16 candidates present at the meeting were Mustapha Sule Lamido from Jigawa State; Isa Ashiru (Kaduna State) and Yakubu Lado Danmarke from Kastina State.

The PDP candidate for Jigawa State is the son of a former minister, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who has been embroiled in recent weeks in altercations with Wike over the crisis in the party.