Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dismissed a purported suit said to have been filed by him seeking the removal of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections.
Media reports earlier on Friday had claimed that Wike had filed a suit to challenge Abubakar’s emergence as PDP presidential flagbearer and have him instead in that position. Wike came second at the primary after Sokoto State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal had stepped down and urged his supporters to vote for Abubakar, a decision that severely affected Wike’s chances.
Since then, efforts to reconcile the Rivers State’s helmsman, who was also bypassed in the choice of presidential running mate, have not yielded the desired result.
In an exclusive chat with THISDAY, Wike denied any knowledge or involvement in the purported suit. “I don’t know anything about the so called suit. I did not ask anyone to file any suit for me”, he firmed said.
The reports stated that Wike and one leaders of the PDP, Mr Newgent Ekamon had dragged the PDP to court seeking the removal of Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate.
According to the purported suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, the plaintiffs were said to have hinged their claims on the grounds that the PDP primary conferred undue advantage on Abubakar, which aided his emergence as candidate of the PDP in the 28 and 29 May primary.
Wike flatly denied the suit said to have been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja. He described it as the handiwork of mischief makers who merely wanted to use him to score cheap political goals.
“I don’t know the lawyers”, he said and asked, “am I a kid to be filing a suit at this time? I had 14 days after the primary within which to have filed any suit. I didn’t do that then, is it two months after primary I will file a suit”?
He also recalled that, “just yesterday (Thursday) they came up with the claim that I ordered my Chief Security Officer to pull down PDP flag in Government House. This is all false, it’s all propaganda. Some people are trying to use me to win the election. Please disregard all these lies”.
Credit: THISDAY
