Wike asks Atiku to apologise for flaunting himself as Northern candidate
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Atiku Abubakar should apologise to Nigerians for cajoling Northern folk to vote for him simply because he is one of them based on Islamic religion and Fulani/Hausa ethnicity, according to Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike.
“The Northerner … doesn’t need a Yoruba or Igbo candidate, I stand before you as a Pan-Nigerian of Northern origin,” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate told an Arewa meeting in Kaduna last weekend.
By that, Atiku was saying the North should not vote for either Peter Obi of the Labour (LP) or Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Alliance (APC), both of whom are from the South.
Wike said if it is true Atiku made the statement, it is a threat to the unity of the country at a time when efforts should be to give every citizen a sense of belonging.
He also fired new shots at PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu.
Wike bared his on Monday at the Port Harcourt International Airport after arriving from Spain, accompanied Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Samuel Ortom (Benue).
“I don’t believe that my candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party could make such a statement.
“But assuming he did make that statement, and this is one of the things we have been saying, this country needs to be united and part of the way you unite it is to include everybody,” he stressed.
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Wike said Atiku’s handlers also share in the blame for allowing him to make such a comment in public, per The PUNCH.
“That has now confirmed to me one of the reasons why those of them in their camp do not want Ayu to resign because they do not want inclusivity.
“If it [the statement] was made, as they said, I think, as a party, we need to apologise to Nigerians, assuming it was made.
“People are denying that it was made but if you watch the video, it appears true but people are saying with recent technology, anything can be done.”
Wike took a swipe at Ayu, saying going by his responses to the corruption allegations levelled against him, he stands indicted except he proves otherwise.
“Luckily for me, he [Ayu] has now mentioned that he went to the presidential candidate … Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri of Adamawa, where they discussed the issues of borrowing.
“Now, the question is, when you talk about borrowing, who approves borrowing? You must go to the National Working Committee.
Wike scoffed at the resolution of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) that mandated Ayu to commit to resigning after the 2023 elections.
He wondered why the BoT could not make him fulfil his initial pledge to resign if a Northerner emerged as PDP presidential candidate.
“To say he should make another commitment that he will resign after the elections, for me, the BoT resolution is ridiculous.”