A group under the aegis of South-South Peoples Assembly(SSPA) has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to caution former Niger State governor , Alhaji Babangida Aliyu and his likes to stop speaking ill of Rivers state Governor and former PDP Presidential aspirant, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement Issued on Friday in PortHarcourt in reaction to the comment credited to Aliyu that Wike lacks the capacity, character and temperament to qualify him to be a Vice president to Atiku, the group said such uncomplimentary remarks could be to the detriment of the Presidential candidate in 2023 if not arrested now.
The statement signed by the leader of SSPA, Livingstone Wutche, alleged that the former governor is a mole hired to run down Wike with the aim of damaging the votes that should come from the South-South where he holds sway, adding that ‘Atiku is the real target to be brought down at all mischievous costs’.
“His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar the PDP Presidential Candidate is hereby called upon to take charge of his Campaign and caution the likes of Babangida Aliyu to desist from this untoward frolic.
“If the PDP must maintain a wining chance, it must guide against the malicious attitude of His Excellency Babangida Aliyu who is using the potential opportunities of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to damage the votes that should come from the South-South where Nyesom Wike holds sway. This tactics is a wrong signal and a breach of trust. He must be advised to keep his malice and hate for Nyesom Wike in his pocket and play creative and intelligent politics for the purpose of winning 2023 presidential election”, it stated.
The statement further stated that the assertions by Aliyu raises a lot of concern even if it fails the sensitivity test completely, adding that his view of Wike, an illustrious and highly celebrated Ikwerre son is an affront not only to his ethnicity and region but the Nigerian state particularly in the face of the current political and economic disputations and contradictions bedevilling the Nigerian State today.
Furthermore, It said accusing Wike of allegedly hijacking the PDP and chasing members away is very timid at this point as such narratives are not only aimed at further dividing the Party, but putting it at the risk of losing the undeniable cult followership and votes from the over two hundred and thirty Local Governments Areas that voted him at the Presidential Primaries.
It urged Atiku to explore a personality like Wike.
“His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar must explore this type of personality going forward because a Governor Wike could not have put up such a heated fight at the Presidential Primaries and made such a national name if he did not have a corresponding substance or if he was not that strong and viable”.
