The governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike has said the children of Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will disown him if what he has done in the party is revealed.
Wike spoke on Friday in a media chat in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state.
Wike also declared that without his input and participation in the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party will lose its bid for the presidency in the 2023 general election.
Wike said some of the PDP states won elections through his financial support.
“If I leave the party today, PDP cannot win the election. If the five PDP governors say they are leaving today, we are not just ordinary governors, we are very committed and strong.
“There is nobody that want to win election and still continue the way they are doing. I have supported many states financially to win election in the past, including Plateau, Ondo, Cross Rivers and they cannot deny it”.
The Rivers governor, who has been at the centre of the demand for Ayu’s removal from office, also alleged that the PDP national chairman received N100 million bribe from a sitting governor.
“In fact, let me also tell you, Ayu collected N100 million from a governor,” Wike said.
“If not for the love of this party, if we release what we have, Ayu’s children will go to him and say we are no longer your children.”
He alleged that the PDP chairman also received double pay for a single project.
When asked about the N1 billion he said Ayu allegedly collected and that there has been no reaction from the national chairman, Wike said, “There cannot be any comment. He (Ayu) cannot say anything. Look, I am the governor of Rivers state and I don’t just come out to speak.
“Let Ayu say he did not collect N1 billion. In fact, let me also tell you, Ayu collected N100 million naira from a governor that he was going to renovate our democratic institution and then he (Ayu) went back to the PDP NWC and took the same N100 million naira for doing the same work.
“What kind of system is that? I am telling you all these are facts. Let him (Ayu) say no first and I will tell you (those he collected money from).”
He added, “A leader must be a man of integrity. And I have realised that people find it hard to have that (integrity) lately. You a presenting a man (Ayu) who lacked integrity as chairman of the party. Somebody that wants to lead a campaign to take the reigns of government?
“What is the problem with what we are asking of Ayu? We are saying let there be equity, let there be fairness and justice. But if you don’t want it that way then you are the one causing the crisis (in the party) and that shows you (Ayu) don’t have leadership skills because this is the time to show it. This is the time to show leadership skills on the part of those who are leaders of the party.”
More details to follow…
