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All of the tantrums and bickering now we have seen and heard from Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike prior to now months is nothing in contrast to what’s coming within the subsequent few months. So he stated.
The governor stated he has simply began politics.
“All those I used to be doing earlier than should not politics. It’s now I’m doing politics,” he stated final week.
It was one of many many conferences the governor held and this time, he had virtually the whole lot he wanted to make his common utterances: a microphone, a solemn ambiance and the suitable viewers – the sort that completes his sentences and applauds after each phrase. The one factor lacking at that rendezvous was his dwell band.
He puzzled why the Peoples Democratic Celebration (PDP) wouldn’t cease sending emissaries to him to plead and persuade him to assist the get together’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. He maintained that whereas he won’t exit the get together, he’ll play no function in its presidential marketing campaign except, after all, his demand is met – that the nationwide chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, resigns.
Earlier, the governor stated there can be no peace within the get together till Mr Ayu leaves and that he would combat until the top.
Arduous as they could attempt to conceal it, Mr Wike has been a trigger for concern to Atiku and the get together’s management. Though the PDP stated campaigns will go on with out Mr Wike and its different aggrieved governors, Atiku has despatched a number of teams to plead with the Rivers governor.
Within the penultimate week, the governor went after members who’re loyal to Atiku in Rivers State. He derecognised Celestine Omehia as a former governor of the state.
In 2007, the Supreme Courtroom eliminated Mr Omehia as governor over no offence that he dedicated in particular person. He had been requested to exchange Rotimi Amaechi whom the PDP disqualified as its governorship candidate. Mr Omehia received that election simply.
However the Supreme Courtroom later voided Mr Amaechi’s disqualification and declared him the rightful winner of the election – an election that he performed no half in. Mr Omehia was not formally recognised as a former governor within the state till Mr Wike assumed workplace and recognised him as such.
Now, Mr Wike has modified his thoughts, describing the popularity as improper. He requested Mr Omehia to refund each kobo he has been paid as monetary entitlements, amounting to about N600 million. His month-to-month pension of just about N100 million has additionally been stopped.
If something, Mr Wike’s actions within the final two weeks are sufficient to indicate simply how far he’s prepared to go to frustrate the efforts of Atiku and the PDP.
Extra photographs at Ayu
Subsequent was a media chat Mr Wike had with choose journalists on Friday – the second media chat in three weeks. Many who got here throughout the advertorial knew that he was about to spill some extra beans in regards to the get together and Mr Ayu.
It generated simply as many reactions as the fee implications for organising such media parleys. Many Nigerians on social media puzzled why the governor, who shouldn’t be working for any political workplace within the coming 12 months, deems it essential to at all times invite the press, pay for airtime and simply rant.
This time, Mr Wike opened extra cans of worms as he accused Mr Ayu of receiving a double pay of N100 million from a PDP governor and the get together’s Nationwide Working Committee (NWC) for a similar mission.
“The truth is, let me additionally inform you, Ayu collected N100 million from a governor that he was going to renovate our democratic institute after which he (Ayu) went again to the (PDP) NWC and took the identical N100 million naira for doing the identical work.”
He challenged Mr Ayu to disclaim it and stated he would reveal extra particulars in regards to the double pay together with the title of the stated governor.
“If individuals know what we all know, if we launch what now we have, Ayu’s youngsters will go to him and say we’re not your youngsters,” Mr Wike stated.
It’s the second time the governor would accuse Mr Ayu of being fraudulent. Weeks in the past, he stated Mr Ayu collected as much as N1 billion from members of the get together. He additionally accused Mr Ayu of bribing some members of the get together’s Nationwide Working Committee to have them on his aspect.
Mr Wike’s allegations generated extra controversy when some members of the NWC started to return cash to the chairman. No less than 4 NWC members returned over N120 million. The sum ranged from N28 million to N36 million. In separate letters to the chairman, they stated they needed to return the cash tagged ‘housing allowance’ due to allegations within the media that it was a bribe.
A burdened Ayu
Mr Ayu is burdened. Mr Wike’s tantrums are clearly taking a toll on him. After the backwards and forwards he had with a few of Mr Wike’s supporters weeks in the past about who’s a baby and who shouldn’t be and whether or not or not he ought to resign, the chairman determined to cease responding to feedback made towards him by the governor or his supporters – for the sake of peace.
However he was dragged out of his shell this time by a thorny Mr Wike who wouldn’t cease.
The truth is, the primary line in his response to Mr Wike’s latest allegations was “when the primary allegation was made… I made a decision to not reply as a result of we don’t wish to trigger alterations within the get together… I’ve restrained myself from reacting.” Then he went on to say it grew to become incumbent on him to answer as a result of it touches his integrity and that of his household.
Whereas he denied receiving N1 billion from get together members, he confirmed receipt of N100 million ‘donation’ from a governor for the stated mission. He stated he by no means personally collected cash from anybody within the get together or the NWC.
For the N1 billion, he stated it was recommended by Atiku on the time, to borrow the sum from a financial institution which is owned by a former member. The mortgage was by no means collected, he stated.
Regardless of the reasons, the controversy nonetheless lingers.
Till Mr Wike’s point out of N1 billion, there was no phrase about it from the PDP. Some NWC members returned cash shortly after he talked about Mr Ayu bribing them. Whether or not or not it was actually a housing allowance or bribe, nobody is aware of. However questions as to whether or not they would have returned the cash if such accusations weren’t made, stay unanswered. One other unanswered query is whether or not they have acquired such cash earlier than and saved quiet about it.
Political pundits have stated, if not contained, the combat between Messrs Wike and Ayu will solely make them efficiently work towards Atiku.
Not Atiku taking pictures himself within the foot
It’s exhausting sufficient to need to take care of Messrs Wike and Ayu throwing jabs at one another. Additionally it is dangerous sufficient that Atiku has kicked off his marketing campaign with out some main southern governors. Atiku made issues just a little worse when he requested some northern leaders in Kaduna State to endorse him, a northern candidate, and shun Yoruba or Igbo leaders.
He stated this at an interactive session with the Arewa Joint Committee at Arewa Home, Kaduna. He was requested by the spokesperson of the Northern Elders Discussion board (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, why Northerners ought to vote for him. His response was “What the common Northerner wants is any individual who’s from the north and likewise understands that a part of the nation and has been capable of construct bridges throughout the nation.
“That is what the Northerner wants, it doesn’t want a Yoruba or Igbo candidate, I stand earlier than you as a pan-Nigerian of northern origin.”
His remark has triggered outrage amongst many Nigerians on social media. It was captured in a video which has now gone viral. Many have described it as a careless assertion from a candidate who calls himself a unifier.
A few of his supporters and spokespersons have tried to elucidate his remark to imply the North wants a pan-Nigerian chief. And the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has since latched onto the remarks, tagging him as determined for taking part in the ethnicity card.
His remark comes at a time when members, significantly southern members of the get together, are nonetheless indignant on the get together for failing to zone the presidential ticket to the South-east. It additionally comes at a time when his main contenders are southerners.
Atiku and his workforce must do numerous injury management to persuade angered Nigerians that he didn’t imply it that means, particularly since some main PDP governors from the South have opted out of his marketing campaign.
He’ll hope that the southerners he has on his aspect and the backing of the previous president, Goodluck Jonathan, will save him from the mess he created.
On a remaining notice…
The thought behind appointing spokespersons is to speak to the general public the candidate’s plans, beliefs and guarantees. These spokespersons ought to, in a technique or one other, function middlemen between their candidates and the lots.
The spokespersons of the most important events, significantly the APC and PDP, appear to be getting it flawed. Up to now weeks, the spokespersons have verbally attacked one another on-line and offline. They’ve picked holes in speeches or occasions of the rival events and used them to assault their opponents.
At what level will we inform them that their acts are embarrassing to each the events and Nigerians as a complete? Nobody desires to go browsing to Twitter or Fb and see these males cursing and dragging one another.
Going ahead, and with the campaigns taking the complete course, one want to see spokespersons do the job of spokespersons and never social media influencers.
Amongst Nigeria’s quite a few nationwide challenges, which do you assume the following president ought to concentrate on first?
— Premium Occasions (@PremiumTimesng) October 5, 2022
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