Governor Nyesom Wike has accused 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and party allies of lying against him in Atiku’s comments on the outcome of the 30 May primary.
Wike, just arriving in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, from a trip to Spain, also said Atiku, party National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and allies have failed to do the needful in reaching out to him towards resolving the conflicts generated by the contentious primary.
He alleged the PDP flag bearer used the event of the unveiling of PDP Vice Presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, and his appearance on national television to lie against him.
He States, “But there comes a time that people will understand and know the true facts. So, obviously, whether I will speak is not in doubt, to let Nigerians know the actual truth. Having known the truth, whatever they decide to do with it is left to Nigerians.
“Because, you can imagine, the presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku, when he unveiled vice presidential candidate, no right thinking lover of this party would say the speech he made that day was fair. Forget the favour seekers. Forget about the scavengers.
“But I never reacted to it. That is because this party belongs to all of us. Thereafter, he appeared on Arise Television, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and you said I should not react to some of those issues. That would not be fair.
“Assuming today, I’m not alive, obviously what they have said would be accepted as the truth. Look at his (Atiku) attack dogs, Sule Lamido, Babaginda Aliyu, Maina Waziri. Look at the statements they issued. Look at the abuses they rained on me, but I never reacted.
“And Nigerians will ask, you mean these things happened? So, it is important that as a person and for my own future, and for those who rally around me to say, look, this is not fair. So, I will make sure that I will react to them, line by line of the statements made by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar himself and his attack dogs.”
Disappointed at Atiku on moves and statements following the presidential primary, Wike said, “Look at it, a presidential candidate who believes that he wants to win election, and somebody who contested fiercely with him that has never raised any issue. I just kept quiet, just minding my business, to see how my state can move forward.
“But every day, his people come up to attack me, to say one thing or the other. That’s quite unfair and so I should let Nigerians know at the appropriate time, that will be after the commissioning of projects that we have lined up.
“We will say look this is not correct, so that posterity, history will be on our side that we have been able to keep the record straight. So, nobody should be in doubt whether I am going to speak on the issue of PDP, issues of the primaries and other related matters.
“Nigerians will know what happen, Nigerians will know those who love this country, Nigerians will know what went behind. And that is to assure you are going to speak on that.”
Governor Wike admitted that Senator Bukola Saraki met with him in Spain, but was not sent by Alhaji Atiku, who wondered why the PDP ticket holder who visited his home to solicit his support no longer knows the way to the house he once visited.
