By NewsBits
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has maintained that the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Iyorchia Ayu “is corrupt and diverted N1.1Billion party funds,” challenging Ayu to sue him for the allegation.
Governor Wike restated the allegation Saturday at the Rivers PDP 2023 election campaign flag-off held at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State where he also declared he would exit office a fulfilled leader.
He said: “I have challenged Ayu. You are corrupt and cannot lead me to campaign. I will not. Rivers will not. Whether they like it or not, Ayu cannot lead us to campaign. Ayu is corrupt.”
“You (Ayu) are building a university in Benue State, but you have not stayed one year in office. How do you fight corruption? I said you took N1Billion, I told you, you took N100million, I told you, you took the money that we realised from the primary. Ayu sue me.”
To his allies, the G-5 governors, and supporters over the PDP crisis, Wike said: “My dear brothers of the integrity group, you’ve done well. They have tried to break us; they couldn’t break us and they will never break us.”
“Here in Rivers, I will say it and let the heavens hear me. Let the earth hear me today. I will not support anybody who says that no other person from other ethnic groups can be president. I will not do it.”
“Nigeria belongs to all of us whether you’re from Hausa, Fulani whether you’re from Yoruba, whether you’re from Igbo, or you’re from Ikwerre, whether you’re from Urhobo, whether you’re from Itsekiri, you’re from Ijaw, or from anywhere, you are entitled to be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“So, when you go on national television and tell anybody, don’t vote for the Yorubas, don’t vote for the Igbos, you didn’t even mention where I come from, which means, nobody identifies with me. Which means, I come from nowhere. But God knows that I come from some where.”
He said: “Not one of the states of PDP integrity governors will lose governorship seats of their states. Not one. No amount of gang up will make us to lose Abia, Enugu, Benue, and Oyo states and who is that that will come and win Rivers State?”
Wike further said, “I am going, I am going with my shoulders high and happily. I am going happily because I have never said I will do something, and I do not do it. We have a lot of armed robbers and kidnappers coming to be governor. Please, open your eyes.
“For the National Assembly and State Assembly candidates, let me warn you now, if your leg is here, we too, our leg will be there. You are not the only person that knows how to be dubious.”
The Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Siminalaye Fubara declared, “It’s a day that we have all decided to support, to consolidate on that New Rivers vision and your support for consolidation of New Rivers vision is SIM.”
The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Ífeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde of Oyo all pledged unwavering allegiance to the G-5 Governors’ force in the PDP, urging Rivers people to deliver Fubara to sustain Wike’s trajectory of growth, development, and progress for Rivers State.
But in his remark, a former governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose urged the national leadership of PDP to use the available time to ensure that true reconciliation was achieved, before it was too late.
