Wike gave my running mate N200m to defect, but Rivers people won’t allow my mandate to be stolen- AAC’s Awara

38-year-old governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara, who is backed by Rotimi Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress (APC), has insisted that he won the March 9 governorship election held in Rivers State.

He alleged that his life is in danger and that his running mate, Chief Akpo Bomba Yeeh, who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, collected N200 million from Governor Nyesom Wike to abandon the AAC.

Yeeh, 67, was on Monday afternoon received in Government House, Port Harcourt by Wike and other leaders of PDP.

Awara, an engineer, in an interview The Nation, expressed surprise over the resignation of his running mate.

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He stated that gunmen were after him and members of his family.

According to him: “I saw my running mate’s resignation online. I have not received the resignation letter he claimed to have addressed to me. I do not know about Yeeh’s resignation.

“I have not received any resignation letter from my deputy. Christians the world over believe in fair play but Wike’s actions and reactions cast serious doubts on his sense of morality.

“Wike had earlier said the AAC was not a party to reckon with. It is shocking he could shamelessly use public funds meant for the development of Rivers State to shop for deputy governorship candidates of opposition parties.

“The same Rivers governor had earlier bought off the deputy governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, despite existing provisions, which clearly show that deputies are part owners of joint tickets, who cannot be easily separated from their candidates, once they have appeared on the ballot.

“Despite the antics of Wike, Rivers people have obviously taken the position that the outgoing governor can no longer lead them.

“I won the March 9 governorship election. Whatever INEC plans to do, the Rivers people will resist attempts to steal their mandate.”

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