Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has fired back at his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, describing him as a ‘tenant’ in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Obaseki, in a statement personally signed by him on Sunday, had told Mr Wike that the PDP was not a personal property of the Rivers governor.
“It clearly amounts to a delusion of grandeur, for any one man to nurse the idea that he owns or has more stake in the PDP and everyone should pander to him,” Mr Obaseki said.
He also told Mr Wike, “In Edo, we don’t accept political bullies and overlords.”
Wike apologises to Oshiomhole over Obaseki
But Mr Wike, in a reaction to Mr Obaseki’s remarks, said the Edo governor was ungrateful to the help he gave him that enabled him to get the PDP ticket and eventually win the 2020 governorship election in Edo, after he was barred from contesting the primaries in his former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“If you go and check the DNA of Godwin Obaseki what you will see in that DNA is betrayal, serial betrayal, and ungratefulness,” Mr Wike is captured saying in a clip posted on Facebook on Monday. https://web.facebook.com/GovernorNyesomEzenwoWikeCON/videos/682727942858538
Mr Wike apologised to the former APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, whom he said has been vindicated by the face-off between him (Wike) and Mr Obaseki.
“Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomhole who has been vindicated by telling us that we will see the true colour, we will see the insincerity, we will see the ungratefulness of Governor Obaseki.
“So let me apologise to Adams Oshiomhole, and to say you have been vindicated and that we were wrong.”
Mr Wike said Mr Obaseki had not contributed to the progress of PDP.
“Has he voted for the PDP? The only election he voted was his own election when we gave him umbrella. So who has more stake in PDP? I have more stake in PDP,” he said, beating his chase.
“I have supported people always. You have never supported PDP, rather it was when your godfather chased you away and you came begging, kneeling down. And we allowed you. Ordinarily, you are a tenant.
“You came to beg a bully for you to have the (PDP) ticket. A bully was your campaign DG and a bully bullied you into Government House. What a shame!
“You came back with your wife to thank the bully that after God the bully made it possible for you to be there.”
The Rivers governor said the problem of PDP in Edo was about injustice, and that he would always stand up against injustice.
He did not, however, explain what he meant by injustice in the Edo PDP.
Sounding as though he was ready for a long political battle, Mr Wike said, “Let me tell you, Obaseki, I know your cohorts, I will smoke all of you out.”ⓘ
Mr Wike said he is qualified to run for Nigeria’s president.
“Tell your presidential aspirants who are sending you that if I come out I will win them,” he said to Mr Obaseki.
Background
Mr Wike had initially attacked the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, for threatening to leave PDP over a lingering crisis in the Edo PDP.
He said he was going to get the PDP to sanction Mr Shaibu whom he said was ungrateful to the party.
“This is the same deputy governor that was kneeling down to beg for us to give them umbrella, today you have the effrontery to threaten PDP. Such a shame,” Mr Wike said of Mr Shaibu.
Mr Obaseki came out in defence of Mr Shaibu, prompting Mr Wike to fire back at him.Advertisements
The crisis in Edo PDP, according to Messrs Obaseki and Shaibu, is the lack of integration of several people who left APC for PDP during the 2020 governorship election in the state.
Governor Obaseki specifically said the PDP in Edo has registered over 500,000 new members since the September 2020 governorship election but that “these new members have not been properly integrated into our party after two years”.
“Also, the leaders, executives and members who came with me into the party have still not been accepted, integrated or harmonised into the party.
“More worrisome is the fact that old members of Edo PDP, who are open to inclusion and supportive of building a large party are being vilified and ostracised by a cabal purportedly led by Chief Dan Orbih, who is your perpetual guest in Port Harcourt and is remotely used to orchestrate the destabilisation of the party in Edo State,” Mr Obaseki said to Mr Wike.
Credit: Premium Times