25th November, 2022
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike has taken a swipe at a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Abia State who promised that if he was compensated for losing in the primary, he would not leave the party, but did not keep his promise.
Wike made the allegation against the PDP member he did not name when he spoke on Thursday at the Umuahia Township Stadium, venue of the Abia State PDP campaign flag-off, according to a press statement signed by Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media.
Wike pointed out that after the compensation was delivered and accepted, the aggrieved member still defected to another party.
“I am aware that because some people didn’t get ticket in one of the senatorial district, they went and collected form. Let me tell you, today we commissioned a road in Obingwa Local Government, and I’m sure that person is from Obingwa Local Government.
“I don’t want to tell you what I did, he promised me that he will not leave PDP. I came, call your governor, your brother said he is not going to leave PDP. And I said what do we do and he said he needs some money. We gave him the money, three days after, he left PDP. ”
The Rivers State Governor also urged members of Abia State PDP and all Abians to trust their governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to lead them to victory in 2023.
“Do you like Ikpaezu? will you follow him, are you sure? Then, listen to him. Ikpeazu has integrity, Ikpeazu is a man you can depend on. Ikpeazu is a man you can go home and sleep with your two eyes close.
“That is why all of us who are members of integrity group, we have come to tell all of you; the gubernatorial candidate, the House of Assembly candidates, the senatorial candidates, the House of Representatives candidates, the G-5 will support all of you.”
Governor Wike said the members of the Integrity Group attended the campaign flag-off to provide solidarity and support to Governor Ikpeazu and all the PDP candidates in Abia State.
“We came here today to tell you that there is nothing like going back.
So, what I want to tell all of you, we stand for equity, we stand for fairness, we stand for justice. So, Okezie will tell you people at the appropriate time what to do, listen to him.”
On his part, Dr. Samuel Ortom of Benue State stressed that members of Integrity Group stand for equity, fairness and justice.
According to him, they also do not shy away from apologising when they make mistakes.
“We the G-5 are committed to equity, fairness and justice. We stand by the truth. Where we make mistakes as human beings, we apologise and move forward.
“I want to assure you that we are committed and our coming to Abia State today is to complement what our colleague is doing here and to support him and to say that we are together.”
Dr. Ortom affirmed the determination of the Integrity Group in doing all within its powers to deliver their candidates and move Nigeria out of the woods of insecurity, bad economy and battered social life of the citizenry.
“We shall win in 2023 to rescue Nigeria and take it from bottom to top. I want to assure you that we are strong in our States and we are committed to winning election like just what we have demonstrated here.
“Continue to keep faith with us and by the grace of God, we shall take Nigeria from where we are today as people are suffering from insecurity, economic problems and social life.
I want to assure you that we are ready to support and to ensure that we take Nigeria out of the woods.”
Also speaking, the Governor of Enugu State, Ífeanyi Ugwuanyi described his Abia State counterpart as a performing governor and prayed that PDP candidates in the State win their elections.
“I’m here to support my brother, a performing governor of Abia State, Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu. I’m also here to support Prof. Uche Ikonne. Our prayer is that PDP shall win all the elections in Abia State.”
In his address, Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde opined that the 2023 election will be like no other. He prayed God to grant electoral victory to all the candidates that have been given party flags.
“I want to congratulate our candidates who have received their flags today. And from the bottom of my heart, I know you will all be successful.
“But let me say this to you, 2023 election is going to be like no other election in the history of Nigeria. So, please stay focus, hold your State and it will be well with you.”
Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu boasted that PDP will win the 2023 election for all its candidates clearly and squarely.
This is because it is the only functional party that is ready for the election since other parties have zero electoral value.
“I have seen a few individuals that are contesting various offices in some small mushroom parties. Some of them, we have not heard about them before until lately.
“Incidentally the candidates of these small parties were shopped from the dustbin of the PDP. We have a few dustbins where we throw away renegade and recalcitrant people.
“They went there and picked a few without consequence at all and of zero electoral value. That is why, today we are sure and confident that all our candidates in PDP will win their elections clearly and squarely.”