Presidential Primary: How south-south PDP govs betrayed me – Wike

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State, has blamed governors of the south-south geopolitical zone for his defeat at the People’s Democratic Party Party (PDP) presidential primary on Saturday, THE WITNESS reports.

Wike, who was considered a favourite to clinch the opposition party’s ticket eventually lost to Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice-president.

Bukola Saraki, former senate president had 70 votes to come third on the night, while Governor Udom came fourth with 38 votes.

Although Wike’s loss was largely blamed on the decision of Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto State governor who stepped down for Atiku at the 11th hour, the Rivers governor insists that betrayal from fellow south-south governors caused his defeat.

Wike, while addressing party leaders in the state on Monday, said, “As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing to worry about. I contested that election based on the agreement with all the Southern Governors and the leaders of the South that the presidency should go to the South.

“We have done our own part. We never betrayed anybody because it is not in our blood to betray. But it is a shame to those people, some governors from the South who are the people they used to sabotage our victory. But however, we have shown them that we are not like them.”

“There are people you think are human being but are not. We have made history and for those betrayers, history will judge them. But as I have said earlier, I won’t abandon the party.

“They underrated us but that has changed. We made them not to sleep and eat.

“This country does not belong to any particular zone, it belongs everybody,”

“If I wanted to scuttle the convention, I would have done that and I told them. There are people you think they are human beings but they are not human beings. I have never seen how people can violate procedures and guidelines. Somebody had spoken, it is only at that point he was speaking that he can say I have withdrawn. You don’t call him back. I just decided that this our party must not be destroyed. I would have left where I was sitting down and say this convention cannot go ahead except you allow me to talk. I would have flattened him”.

We learned that while most of the south-east and a section of the south-west voted for the Rivers State governor, south-south states like Bayelsa, Edo and Delta reportedly opted for Atiku, while Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom took the state’s votes.