Describing Ayu as arrogant, Wike alleged that the PDP chairman was fixated on the N14 billion the party raised during primaries and desired to be the manager of the money.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became more intractable on Thursday as the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, told Nigerians to be wary of the main opposition party because it is not worthy of trust.
Wike also took a swipe at the National Chairman of his party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, vowing that his group will teach him a lesson for describing him and members of his team as children.
This latest round of brickbats was provoked by Ayu who, while speaking in an interview on the Hausa service of the BBC on Wednesday, said Wike and members of his group were not there when he and other compatriots formed the PDP in 1998.
“I have not stolen any money, so there is no reason for my resignation, when we started the PDP all those ones were children, they were not there, we will not allow one person to become a spoiler, this is our country, so all that is expected of us is to fix the country, provide security and dividends of democracy when we take over power in 2023.”
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But Wike, who took very strong exemption to Ayu’s remarks that Governors demanding his resignation were children when they formed the PDP, said the party helmsman has displayed the highest level of ingratitude.
He reminded Ayu that those he referred to as children were the ones who made him PDP Chairman.
He said Ayu lacked integrity for not keeping to his words before he emerged as chairman and warned Nigerians to be careful of a party, which could not keep to its internal promises.
Describing Ayu as arrogant, Wike alleged that the PDP chairman was fixated on the N14 billion the party raised during primaries and desired to be the manager of the money.
He said those Ayu addressed as boys would teach him a lesson warning that “election is not always the way you look at it.”
Speaking on Thursday at the inauguration of roads in Ikwerre LGA of the state, Wike said those who Ayu described as children brought him from nothing to be chairman of the party.
He said if Ayu remains arrogant and refuses to resign, it may cost the PDP the 2023 presidential election.
“You can imagine what power can do. You can imagine how ingratitude — how people can be ingrates in their lives,” Wike said.
“I thought as a chairman of a party who wants to win elections, your business is to bring peace to your party; your business is not to divide your party. Your business is not to show arrogance to your party.
“Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman.
“Ayu, you were impeached as Senate President. Ayu, you were sacked by Obasanjo in his administration. Arrogance cannot take you anywhere.
“Now, we have seen that you don’t want the party to win the election. We will help you.
“These children — these people you call boys — brought you from nothing.”
