Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor, has directed his aides and local government chairmen in the state to work for Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), THE WITNESS has gathered.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign in the state disclosed this on Thursday, days after Wike’s known aides began to actively campaign for Tinubu on social media.
The Rivers governor, had on Wednesday, failed to publicly name the presidential candidate which the five aggrieved governors he led would support for the presidency, but it’s understood that the governor has reached an agreement with Tinubu and has since agreed to back him.
PDP Rivers Presidential Council said on Thursday that it had identified Tinubu of APC, as Governor Nyesom Wike’s choice for the forthcoming election.
The council in a letter dated Wednesday, February 1, 2023, said Wike had already directed all local government chairmen, his aides and party executive members to deliver APC and Tinubu at the poll.
According to the letter which was addressed to Wike and signed by the Director, State Campaign Management Committee, Rivers State chapter, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, the APC parley was why Wike refused to give approval for the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium for the Atiku Abubakar’s campaign.
Sekibo accused Wike of trying to frustrate and stop the candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, from emerging the next President of Nigeria.
Addressing the Governor, Sekibo said: “We completely sent your assertion as patently false and perverse and we believe that our highly respected security agencies cannot furnish you with such untrue and unfounded lies.
“The PDP Presidential Campaign Council has nothing whatsoever to do with the APC in Rivers State. It is appalling and highly preposterous for you or anyone to assume that the PDP and the APC could jointly hold an event in the same venue.
“However, we are rather aware by credible information reaching us that Your Excellency has directed all local government council chairmen, special advisers, commissioners, party executives are the state, local government and ward levels and all other appointees of yours to work for the Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, even though you have not had the courage to announce same to the people of the state.
“Your general public utterances, innuendos and conduct have pointed to the fact that you are bent on frustrating and if possible preventing the emergence of PDP Presidential Candidate as the next President of Nigeria.
“Your involvement in G-5 is the height of anti-party activity. It is, therefore, surprising that you are now accusing us of hobnobbing with APC faction in Rivers State.”