Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State, says he could have scattered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election held in Abuja on Saturday following what he described as ‘betrayal, sabotage by the party’s south-south governors.
Wike, who was considered a favourite to clinch the opposition party’s ticket eventually lost to Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice-president.
Although Wike’s loss was largely blamed on the decision of Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State governor who stepped down for Atiku at the 11th hour, the Rivers governor insists that betrayal from fellow south-south governors caused his defeat.
Wike, while addressing party leaders in the state on Monday, said: “If I wanted to scuttle the convention, I would have done that and I told them. There are people you think they are human beings but they are not human beings.
“I can not be a second class citizen in my country, no Nigerian is more Nigerian than others.
“I have never seen how people can violate procedures and guidelines. Somebody had spoken, it is only at that point he was speaking that he can say I have withdrawn. You don’t call him back.
“I just decided that this our party (PDP) must not be destroyed. I would have left where I was sitting down and say this convention cannot go ahead except you allow me to talk. I would have flattened him”.
Speaking further, the Rivers governor noted: “As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing to worry about. I contested that election based on the agreement with all the Southern Governors and the leaders of the South that the presidency should go to the South.
“We have done our own part. We never betrayed anybody because it is not in our blood to betray. But it is a shame to those people, some governors from the South who are the people they used to sabotage our victory. But however, we have shown them that we are not like them.”
“There are people you think are human being but are not. We have made history and for those betrayers, history will judge them. But as I have said earlier, I won’t abandon the party.
“They underrated us but that has changed. We made them not to sleep and eat.
“This country does not belong to any particular zone, it belongs everybody,”