Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe on the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, for threatening the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor also berated his embattled Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi, for resorting to making a reckless statement against the judge after his sack by a Federal High Court, Abuja. He went on to ask Umahi to return his mandate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), vowing that the party “will continue this matter down to Supreme Court.”
Wike who spoke during the inauguration of the Eastern Bypass Road on Saturday said it was unfortunate and shameful that a deputy governor would appear on a national television to threaten the PDP.
He vowed to ensure that a disciplinary action was taken by the leadership of the party against Shuaibu.
He recalled how Shuaibu knelt down to beg the PDP for its umbrella when his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) denied them the ticket to seek reelection.
He said: “He is threatening the party that there is alternative to the PDP. This is the same deputy governor that knelt down to beg for us to give them the umbrella. Today he has the effrontery to threaten the PDP. What a shame!
“When they were denied ticket under the APC they were running helter-skelter begging everybody to give them umbrella and we gave them the umbrella. We went and ensured they won that election.
“Today, that deputy governor will be ranting. A deputy governor will come out of the television to tell PDP that there is alternative. I have written to the Chairman of the party, if they don’t constitute a disciplinary committee against the deputy governor, I will invoke the sections of the party and ensure they discipline that deputy governor.
“He lost his ward during the election. It is unfortunate for our party. It is the first time I have seen a deputy governor come out of the television to threaten the party. Who is his father? Now that he has started the trouble, let him wait, we will make sure he never has rest.”
Reacting to Umahi’s outburst against the judiciary after his sack, Wike said it was unfortunate that instead of seeking appeal to the judgment of the court, Umahi resorted to making a reckless statement against the judge.
He said: “Look at a governor making a reckless statement simply because a judge made a judgement according to his own opinion, which you are entitled to appeal up to Supreme Court.
“You have called somebody a thief in the market and you’re saying I’m sorry. It is late. That your sorry, we the members of the public, we don’t take it.”
Wike said it was the first in the country’s political history that defection of a governor to another party was contested in court.
He said that the decision of the PDP to challenge the defection of the governor and others elected on its platform should be seen as a clear example of strengthening democracy.
Wike explained PDP members took Umahi to court demanding the mandate of the party from him.
He said: “If our party has done this earlier when people were leaving in the National Assembly, we won’t have had the problem we are having today.
“That is one of the problems of party leadership. People cannot come out and take the bull by the horns. So, Governor Umahi, be rest assured that PDP will continue this matter down to Supreme Court. We will continue with the matter.”
He said it was no longer acceptable for someone to win an election and defect with the victory to another party for fear of escaping visitation of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC).
Wike said: “You carry the votes of another party and join another party. Can you transfer votes? You work hard for somebody to win election and tomorrow, the person say I have defected.
“If you have defected, leave the seat if you know it’s easy. And this will checkmate most of these political harlots who will never sit in one place.”