Wike, supporters will leave PDP if reconciliation fails, says Jerry Gana – Nexus News
A top ally of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, disclosed yesterday that the governor and his fans could switch party ahead of the 2023 elections should the current efforts to settle him and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, fail in the end.
Professor Jerry Gana, a former minister of Information disclosed in Port Harcourt, that Wike and his supporters “shall tell the people of Nigeria where to go “ if reconciliation fails.
He spoke on a day when fresh discussion between representatives of the former vice president and those of Wike broke up without any tangible decision.
“We want to assure you that the problems we have in the PDP we shall resolve them. And if they are not resolved, this leader here, the governor together with all of us, we shall tell the people of Nigeria where to go,” Gana disclosed while commissioning the construction of a flyover at the Mgbuoba, Ozuoba -Ada George Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Gana stated that PDP chapters in the North Central zone supported Wike to pick the presidential ticket of the party during the May primary in Abuja.
He said: “When I came earlier this year before we had our party primaries on behalf of our people from North Central Nigeria, I asked you whether you could confirm the rumor we heard that one of your illustrious sons was preparing to preside over the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“You answered in the affirmative and we assured you then that if you came out we would support you solidly. I am to confirm that we stood by your son and our people delivered.
“Therefore, I bring warm greetings from the people of Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi and Niger states and even beyond to Taraba and Adamawa states.”
Gana noted that the flyover project would add to the beauty and efficiency of the metropolis, by promoting accessibility.
He said Wike was working on the status of Port Harcourt to become an enduring investment destination and home for many because of the prevailing peace.
He said: “We love your son. He is a wonderful leader of truth. The man stands for justice, for equity, for goodness and we love him so much because he is also performing.
“He is delivering development projects for the people of Rivers State. In fact, we are very jealous that you have such a wonderful governor. One of the good things of the governor is that you have enjoyed peace and security under him.”
Fresh peace ends in deadlock
The decision of the two month face-off between Alhaji Atiku and Governor Wike seems not to be in sight after their recent peace talks broke up yesterday in Port Harcourt without any tangible decision.
The two sides hardly agreed to advance discussions after about four hours of meeting behind doors.
Sources revealed that the representatives of the two leaders failed to resolve their differences.
From the Atiku camp at yesterday’s meeting were Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; former minister Adamu Waziri and Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) PDP governorship candidate in the last election in Ondo State.
Wike was represented by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; former governor of Cross River State,Mr. Donald Duke; former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and former governor of Gombe State, Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo.
Speaking to Newsmen at the end of the meeting, Fintiri, stated that discussions were ongoing to achieve desired objectives.
He explained that Nigerians were waiting patiently for the PDP to mount power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
He implored PDP supporters to be patient noting that the committee would broker peace, unify the party and Nigerians.
He said: “We are aware that Nigerians are anxious and waiting for PDP to take over the government in 2023. We have met as leaders, members of the same political family and we have opened discussion, work is in progress and we will continue.
“At the end of the day, we will broker peace and we will unify the party and Nigerians”.
Also speaking, Dr. Mimiko, said soon, unity would be restored in the party.
Mimiko, disclosed that the committee would meet again to further decide on issues that needed to be resolved.
He said: “We have agreed that there is a need for us to enhance unity within our party. This is a reconciliation process.There are some issues out there which need further deliberation when the committees meet again.”
Members of the committee were disclosed to have later met with Wike at his private home in Rumueprikom.
Only 24 hours before yesterday’s meeting,Wike threw a fresh jab at those he said “are there in Abuja following their candidate to Adamawa.”
He then questioned: “Is that where you win the votes?”
Adamawa is the home state of Alhaji Atiku.
He said: “I’m not a son to anybody,I’m a son of Rivers State and I’ll do what interests and benefits Rivers State.
“We’re here in Rivers State bringing in people from other parties to join PDP.
“Some people stay in Abuja, ask them how many people they brought into the party. How many people have you brought in to support your candidate?”
And speaking at the commissioning of the 12th flyover in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike promised to deal with persons irrespective of their party affiliations planning to destabilize the state.
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He spoke against the backdrop of the shut down of a hotel, a bar, and a filling station belonging to some PDP officials in the state.
But Wike emphasized that his administration had invested massively in achieving the prevailing peace, and would not permit attempts to return the state to the dark days of insecurity.
He said: “Now, let me tell anyone who cares to listen, whether you’re in PDP, APC, you’re in SDP, you’re in Accord or any other party, if I catch you trying to breach the security in this state, you’ll go in for it.
“I will not allow anybody to destabilize this state. We have suffered insecurity and God has helped us together with security agencies to maintain peace. For me, whether it is true or not, I must make sure that I take action.”
Wike explained, sadly most people did not take the warning given in his last state broadcast seriously.
The governor stated that he previously warned that any hotel or event center where criminals, cultists were permitted to gather to plot the breach of peace would be destroyed.
He said: “So, if you know they’re using your hotel, or they’re using your drinking joint as where they’ll be holding meetings, think twice now.
“There is no amount of propaganda, if you like to go to social media that they’re clamping down on you, that’s your business. I will not allow anybody to destabilize this state, because we have suffered insecurity and we have spent money.
“You can’t begin to arrange for cultists to meet in your event centers, or in your hotels. Pray that I don’t have any hint about that, if I do, I will bring down your hotel, I will bring down the event center and I will arrest those people found there and I will prosecute them, heaven would not fall.”
The governor noted that it was not in doubt that Rivers was currently the only state that the PDP was certain of delivering its gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 election.
He said: “This is because Rivers people are already at home with the PDP and its commitment to the development of the state.
“That is why we are proud to say this is the only state, for now, that PDP can be sure of returning its governorship candidate as governor.”
He noted that one of the reasons why the PDP was happy to have chosen, Mr. Siminalaye Fubara, as its governorship candidate, was because he knew what was going on in government.
“Because you must be part of the system to understand the system to continue from where we are going to stop. Not people who just have the idea of wanting to be governor because they want to siphon our money. Thank God that we didn’t give them the ticket,” he said.
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