Atiku is being dodgy, insincere in backing Ayu —Wike

Governor Nyesome Wike of River State has accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar of being insincere by backing the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, not to resign.

He stated that the constitutional encumbrance being used as excuse by Atiku existed when he (Atiku) agreed that Ayu needs to go after the party’s presidential primaries.

Speaking during a parley with newsmen on Friday in Port Harcourt, the atate capital, Wike lambasted Atiku for being dodgy, and refusing to stick to his words.

Wike and other bigwigs of the PDP are calling for the resignation of Ayu. They say it is unacceptable for both the presidential candidate and the national chairman to be from the north.

However, the leadership of PDP and Atiku called Wike’s bluff by insisting that Ayu would not be forced to resign his position.

Read also:Ayu: PDP showing Nigerians that it cannot be trusted ahead of 2023 elections —Wike

Wike argued that those in Atiku’s camp are arrogant by thinking they could win Rivers state without his support.

He added that those advising Atiku do not have electoral value even in their own wards.

The crisis within the party had forced supporters within the Wike camp to announce a pull out from the Atiku 2023 presidential campaign council, insisting that they would not be part of it until Ayu steps down.

But in his reaction, Atiku had expressed disappointment at their decision, arguing that Atu’s resignation is a constitutional matter which has to be resolved democratically.

But Wike lamented that Atiku was being insincere as the same constitutional matters existed when he became the party’s candidate after the party ignored its zoning formular.

He claimed that Ayu was planning to become the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) after 2923 hence his refusal to leave, and that positions had been shared by some people even before the party had won the presidential election.

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