Governor Nyesom Wike has rubbished top chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their role in ensuring the defeat of the party and its presidential candidate in the 2015 election, Goodluck Jonathan.
Wike also speaks on the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the Peoples Democratic Presidential candidate during the PDP primaries.
Wike on Friday recalled how the Presidential Candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar and a former Senate President, Saraki rebuffed Jonathan’s pleas to rescind their decision of leaving the party in 2014.
Wike said the Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tanbuwal was among those, who humiliated Jonathan after the 2014 convention as they insisted that it was the turn of the north.
He said the party’s constitution contained provisions for zoning of elective and party positions but lamented that some people were doing everything within their powers to manipulate the system.
He said: “There shall be zoning of party and elective offices. It is clear. Not ambiguous. But people will always try to manipulate the system to suit them.
“They slant stories in such a way as to deceive the public. The founding fathers know the complexity of this country. They did it in a such a way as not to have problems.
“People should not forget history. In 2013 and 2014, there was an issue of the presidential candidate. Jonathan emerged. Atiku and others worked out of the convention. Tambuwal and former Senate President all worked out.
“Jonathan did everything to talk to them. But they rebuffed him as a sitting President. President travelled to London to see Atiku, but he rebuffed him. Former Governor Babangida Aliyu admitted that they all agreed to work against Jonathan”.
Wike also speaks on the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the Peoples Democratic Presidential candidate during the PDP primaries.
He said if not for the love he and others in his camp had for the main opposition party, they could have prevented the PDP convention from holding.
Wike, who revealed this in an ongoing media parley, alleged that the PDP’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, played a vital role that was detrimental to other aspirants in the emergence of Atiku as PDP flagbearer.
The governor alleged that Ayu called several presidential aspirants to step down for the former vice president during the convention.
“He was calling aspirants to withdraw for Atiku. I was there, Saraki and others were there.
“He manipulated the delegates. There was nothing Ayu did not do to ensure Wike didn’t emerge,” Wike said.
More details to follow….
