‘Wike did not bar party members from campaigning for Atiku’ – PDP Rivers
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers has denied allegations that Governor Nyesom Wike barred party members from campaigning for Atiku Abubakar in the state ahead of the 2023 General Elections.
Rivers State chapter of the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Tambari Gbara, who made the clarification, Wednesday, said Wike never forbade party leaders from supporting Atiku in Rivers State.
Gbara was responding to claims made by Ledogo Maeba, a former senator for Rivers South East zone, who had claimed that Wike warned some PDP chieftains against supporting Atiku in the State.
Maeba claimed that Wike had issued the warning following a visit to Atiku in which he, and other party chieftains had apologized on the governor’s behalf. The ex-lawmaker claimed that the governor chastised them for visiting Atiku without his permission.
Further, Maeba claimed that Wike also threatened to deal with anyone who promoted Atiku in Rivers State without his consent.
However, Gbara pressed Maeba to back up his claim that Wike had threatened anyone who was supporting Atiku in the State.
In a statement, Gbara said: “If the governor wants to make that statement, he would make it official, that in the State, nobody should campaign for Atiku Abubakar.
“Governor Wike is not somebody that hides his feelings. If he wants to say that, I don’t think he would say it privately. So, the person making the allegation should come out and prove himself.
“He (Maeba) should be able to furnish Rivers people and Nigerians with evidence.”
