Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has warned that the window of reconciliation in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is closing, saying there would be dire consequences if the party refuses to heed calls for the exit of its National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
He said when his group, G5, takes its final decision on the choice of a presidential candidate, nothing would change the position.
Wike, who spoke at two different fora, in Port Harcourt, said time is running out for the resolution of the crisis in PDP.
His threats came on the heels of the resignation of a former Board of Trustees, BoT, member of PDP, Prof ABC Nwosu.
Be ready for repercussions on refusal to give PDP chairmanship to South, Wike tells Ayu, Atiku
A Wike-led group of five governors is demanding the resignation of Ayu, claiming its position was informed by the need for equity and justice.
His words: “I have continued to challenge them. What are we fighting for? What I said and will continue to say is that all of us are from this country. Nobody is a second-class citizen.
“We agreed that this is how our party will be. Recently Prof. A.B.C Nwosu resigned from the party, saying his conscience will not allow him. He said the constitution of the party is clear. If you take this, these other people will take that. Why now are we saying that we won’t do it again?
“What the people are saying is look, you have taken this, let these people take that and you are saying you will take all. If you take all, you will also face the repercussions.
“You cannot fight anybody God has blessed. God has blessed Rivers. Anybody fighting Rivers State, you are fighting yourself. Nobody can intimidate us. No state in this country can intimidate Rivers.
“If you want to fight us, we will fight you to the end. If you want to make peace with us, we will make peace with you to the last. But thinking that anybody will come and intimidate us and then we will chicken out, that is not possible.”
Also speaking in an interview with BBC, Wike said when G5 shuts its door, even the heavens wouldn’t make them reverse the stand.
He said: “The point I am trying to tell you is that PDP should have their opportunity because there will come a time the door will be shut and nothing will happen. If that day comes, if heaven wants to come down, let it come down.
“Nobody should threaten anyone. If we (G5) take the decision today that we will not support the PDP candidate, we will give reasons why we will not support him and nothing anybody will do about it. They should better be careful.”
On his preferred presidential candidate, Wike said: “Why are you in a hurry? I didn’t mention the particular date in January. People should calm down. We are all politicians. We have political strategies. I don’t work as an individual. That’s what people don’t understand.
“There are different strategies of war. What you see today is not what you see tomorrow. I laugh at them, PDP when they say we are in touch.
“We are not like them. We can’t leave our house for armed robbers. We won’t do that. This is a house we built. We cannot leave it, for who.
“We will stay inside this house and fight. And they have no choice but to allow peace to reign.”