The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Friday, opened up on events that led to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the Peoples Democratic Presidential candidate during the PDP primaries.
The PUNCH reports that Wike, who lost the presidential ticket to Atiku in the May primaries, has so far refused to be swayed by entreaties to work with Ayu.
He said if not for the love he and others in his camp had for the main opposition party, they could have prevented the PDP convention from holding.
Wike, who revealed this in an ongoing media parley, alleged that the PDP’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, played a vital role that was detrimental to other aspirants in the emergence of Atiku as PDP flagbearer.
The governor alleged that Ayu called several presidential aspirants to step down for the former vice president during the convention.
“He was calling aspirants to withdraw for Atiku. I was there, Saraki and others were there.
“He manipulated the delegates. There was nothing Ayu did not do to ensure Wike didn’t emerge,” Nyesom Wike said.
The governor added, “Meetings upon meetings were going. Pressures were being mounted on people to step down.
“Even on the night of the convention meetings were going on. That is why we started our convention late.
“Some of the retired generals were involved. Some of the meetings were held in their houses. There is nothing they didn’t do for me to step down.
“Those who know me, know that I would have stopped the convention, even if heaven falls.”
The PUNCH reports Wike camp announced their plan not to participate in the campaign council which was scheduled for inauguration next Wednesday after a meeting at Wike’s private residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday morning.
Reacting to the withdrawal from his campaign council on Wednesday, Atiku in a statement he personally signed reiterated his decision not to interfere in the demands for Ayu’s removal.
