Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dared the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to expel him and face the consequences.
Also, Governor Wike denied that he and other members of the Integrity Group – Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) – had struck a deal with one of the presidential candidates outside of the PDP.
He stated this while he was flagging off a new road in Rivers State.
Wike, who moved straight from the Port Harcourt International Airport to Igbo-Etche in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area to kick off the construction of Enekah-Igbo Etche road project, mocked Atiku’s loyalists for preoccupying themselves with the engagements of the G-5.
The Governor did not disclose details of their London meeting, however, wondered why Atiku’s supporters kept discussing every move of the G-5 which it repeatedly dismissed as insignificant and irrelevant to the victory of the PDP presidential candidate.
The Governor told Atiku’s camp that what was unfolding currently was a prelude to the trouble that it would face in due course.
He dared the PDP to expel him and “try and see how you will survive it.”
His words: “I travelled overseas on the 25th night having worked hard. I didn’t know it was still important that just going to unwind was a problem to some people. Some people said they had moved on, they don’t bother about G-5. Why do they bother about where we go to and where we didn’t go?
“We go to a club, you are worried. We go and swim you are worried. Yet you tell Nigerians you don’t bother. They said I had a conversation with BBC. Where is the picture and where is the video?
“We don’t have journalists again, we have pressmen. You can see people not being able to dish out correct information. You see newspaper houses that are now running elections. You see TV houses now standing for election; Wike had interviews with BBC and say we have a deal with so,so candidate.Meanwhile, no video.
“Some of you waste your time to listen to such things. When I want to do something I will do it. Do you need to speculate? You don’t need to. They say there is trouble but there is no trouble. What we have is introduction to trouble that will come.”
Continuing, he said: ”They said we had meetings with a candidate. What is your problem assuming there was a meeting? Has Atiku not been holding meetings with governors of APC? Ask him. As he is in Dubai, don’t we know what is going on?
“So, why do you bother about us? The G5 you said you could win without us. Leave us alone. Focus on your problems. So, I want to tell you that whatever decision I will take, I will let you know and I can’t take any decision without taking advice from you.
“We know the parties some of these papers are supporting and their candidates. I am not the one that will go and see somebody and hide. Hide from who? Who is that person that will threaten me?You said you would sack me, go ahead.
“I am not worried. You that are sacking, you are worried, me that you are sacking is not worried. Try and see how you will survive it. I just went to enjoy myself and my family. If you check their Blood Pressure (BP) now it is very high. My BP is like that of a kid. They are killing themselves for nothing.
“You, fulfill the one you said that if a presidential candidate comes from this zone, I will resign. Now that the presidential candidate has come you don’t want to fulfill it and you want me stupidly to continue. Is that proper?
“The presidential candidate told me in my house in Abuja when he came to see me, there was no way he would be presidential candidate and they would also produce the chairmanship of the party. Let him say he didn’t tell me that. Fulfill the promise. Did I say I am not a party member? You that made a promise you don’t want to be a party member?”
He further stated that: “In 2003 when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for a second tenure―a whole president wanted to run for a second tenure―he knelt down before his vice and said, ‘my vice, please, allow me to run.’
“You know one of the conditions he gave him? That Tony Anenih must be sacked as the Minister of Works and that Tony Anenih must not be in the presidential campaign council. Obasanjo obliged and sacked Tony Anenih as the Minister of Works and removed him from the presidential campaign council. This is a president, [and] his own vice giving him condition; a retired General knelt down and was given conditions.
“We (G5) are not even doing that; we are not saying sack this one; we are only saying that the constitution of our party must be respected based on what the national chairman said and based on what you told me in my house.”
