2023: Reactions as Wike attacks Atiku, Tambuwal, Saraki, others while declaring for President in Benue

*Reportedly says they violate zoning principle to show interest from North

By KEMI KASUMU

“Of all the gladiators in PDP, Wike is nowhere. And I can confidently say that Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is the best for the party, if winning both Presidrntial election and restored trust, confidence of Nigerians is anything to them,” he said.

Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike, on Monday, declared his intention to contest the forthcoming Presidential election in Nigeria.

His declaration, done while on a visit to a fellow controversial Governor, Samuel Ortom, in his domain of Benue State was not without him taking swipes on three major formidable, non-controvertial presidential materials; Governor of Nigeria’s most peaceful state of Sokoto, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar GCON and former two-term governor of of Kwara State and two-term Senate President President of 7th-8th National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki GCON.

Wike, during the declaration, launched attacks against the top leaders of the same party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose ticket he is seeking to qualify for the 2023 presidential election.

To him, he believes the recipients of his latest attacks had at some point defected from the PDP before eventually returning to the party. He forgot, some quick reviewers said, how some PDP decampees in the current ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have been tolerated to hold vantage positions of power within the party he and his co-travellers had predicted for untimely death – at most under one year of birth – and since the prediction in 2014, which has refused to die but rather waxes stronger.

Although interpreted, Wike, who did not mention names in his address in Makurdi, made the political air strike around the enclaves of Atiku, Tambuwal and Saraki when he reportedly said they were violating the zoning principle to ever ventured to contest considering the part of the country they come from.

The Wike bombardment would have hit his host, Governor Ortom but he escaped by the whisker because he is not a presidential contender because, the Benue governor was most qualified to be recipient of the heat having also once defected from PDP to APC, took governorship climbing on the shoulder of APC only to defect back to his home party within the first term in office.

“Let these people who are interested in presidency in the PDP tell us their contributions. You claimed to be one of the founding fathers of the party, but you left and came back; you have become an ordinary person in the new PDP.

“If you form a company and run away because the company is not doing well, then you come back and found that it is now doing well, will you want to come and take over?” He asked according to the televised address monitored by The DEFENDER in Lagos.

He was hosted by Ortom at the Government House Makurdi, when he visited to consult with the colleague and other PDP chieftains over his ambition.

Governor Wike said, “In 2015, those who ran away made us lose the election. Today, they are crying but some of us stood and said PDP will not die.

“By the time you ran away, you sold your share as founding fathers, so you can no longer retain your position of founding fathers. I stood for this party. I worked for this party since 1998. I have nowhere to run to and that’s why anything that happens to this party, I take it personally. I have never relented.”

Giving an impression of a do-ot-die 2023 election process, Governor Wike told his host and other PDP stalwarts seated that power is more possible for the party next election when it is taken by grab and not by dash at the Federal level and that he is the man who can achieve that for PDP.

“To remove APC from power, I am the person who can tell them enough is enough.

“We must take this power and I am ready to take it for PDP and I know that God is with us that is why APC keeps failing every day.

“I call on stakeholders to give me their mandate and not to sell their votes because I have the capacity to face this APC government,” he said.

In a recall by Premium Times, Wike’s setback was pointed out although a respondent had earlier told The DEFENDER how PDP will fail if Wike is its best for the ticket come 2023.

According to Premium Times, Mr Wike is one of the most influential governors in the PDP and very popular back home in Rivers because of his administration’s delivery of some infrastructural projects in the oil-rich state, but his often controversial remarks and actions may be a setback to his presidential ambition.

“No one is against his desire to run for president, however, his ambition should not be embarked on in such a way that it would cause disruption at different levels, such as the PDP Governors’ Forum as well as different chapters of the party across the country,” Governor Godwin Obaseki said recently of Mr Wike during a feud between the two of them.

Speaking to The DEFENDER through a communication channel Monday night, a notable Nigeria who sought to be protected in the personal, regional and political identify, said:

“Of all the gladiators in PDP, Wike is nowhere. And I can confidently say that Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is the best for the party, if winning both Presidential election and restored trust, confidence of Nigerians is anything to them and not just to squander money, retire into dangerous opposition politicking only to resume work again in 2027.,”” he said.