Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has knocked a former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara for backing Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid.
Dogara and some aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) recently endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for next year’s election, a move Wike says is a deviation from the former speaker’s earlier stance.
Wike who spoke during the flag-off of Indorama- Agbonchia- Ogale- Ebubu East/West Link Road, claimed that Dogara had insisted on Nigeria’s presidential seat returning to southern Nigeria as against his most recent support for Atiku from the northern region.
“What I don’t like in life is people that don’t have character. I can’t stand it. At the appropriate time, I would challenge them to a debate. Ask Dogara: what made you leave PDP?” the governor asked during the event held on Monday.
“Dogara was to see me; unknown to me, he gave me an excuse and I was watching Dogara on TV being received by President Muhammadu Buhari that he has gone to APC. I say ‘Okay, no problem’. The same Dogara said the presidency should be zoned to southern Nigeria for there to be peace. Now, I hear about the same Dogara (backing Atiku from the north). Is that how you do things? Can’t you say something and stand by it?”
Wike’s comment is the latest in the crisis rocking the main opposition PDP since the party’s presidential primary earlier in May.
The governor, who lost to Atiku in the exercise, claims the process was unfair and is also insisting that the National Chairman of the PDP Iyorchia resigns his position as part of moves to reach a truce.
While efforts are being made to resolve the crisis, the governor and his allies have pulled out of the party’s presidential campaign with Wike saying the group will make a decision soon.
