The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, against dragging it into the travails of the opposition party.
The governing party was reacting to allegation by Ayu that it had been planting stories in the media to further stoke the feud between him and Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
Reports had quoted Ayu as alleging that Wike could not father a child, a statement Ayu denied and blamed on the APC.
But the APC, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its national publicity secretary, Barr Felix Morka, distanced itself from what it described as such a scandalous act, accusing the PDP national chairman of looking for who to blame for the hurricane about to consume the opposition party under his leadership.
Describing Ayu’s allegation as an escapist mindset approach, Morka said, “As he (Ayu) struggled to deny a statement credited to him that Governor Nyesom Wike could not father a child, the National Chairman of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, alleged, ridiculously, that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and “other mischievous people” were planting such stories in the media and stoking the feud between him and the Rivers State Governor.
“Understandably, Chairman Ayu is deep in quicksand and swinging wildly in search of third parties to blame for the internal combustion in the party that he leads.
“With such an escapist mindset, it is not difficult to see why the meltdown in the PDP has proved intractable on his watch. Lacking forthrightness and character to accept responsibility for the crisis in his party, how can he possibly resolve it?
“Unlike the party of Ayu, APC does not “plant stories” and does not meddle in the internal affairs of other parties. That is an area of extreme and unrivaled competence of the PDP. In any event, the PDP is unraveling unstoppably and needs no help from the outside.
“Rather than distract himself in search of an illusory scapegoat, Ayu and stakeholders of his withering PDP should concentrate on finding an anchor to slow the Party’s rudderless drift.
APC wondered how a party like PDP that has proved incapable of governing itself can govern a country as important as Nigeria.
“After 16 years of ruthless misgovernance and crass failure to reform and reposition itself, quite frankly, the PDP stands morally disqualified from asking Nigerians for their votes in the next general election.
“The ruling APC assured the populace that her attention and concern remain focused on the search for new and creative ways of improving the quality of life of our people, and working to convince them to renew our mandate again in 2023.”
I Won’t Succumb To Intimidation, Wike Vows
On his part, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, declared yesterday that no amount of intimidation and threats from the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will deter him from demanding what is right for the people
The governor who insisted that Rivers State has contributed the most to the successes of the PDP since 1999 expressed regrets that the state had not benefited from her dedication to the party.
He alleged that PDP leaders had attempted to go into negotiation with President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019, saying he objected to that decision.
Wike spoke while commissioning the Faculty of Agriculture of the Rivers State University, located at Abara-Etche in Etche local government area of the state.
The governor said: “If you are a Rivers man, you don’t need to be intimidated by anybody…We must take our rightful position. So, nobody should be worried. Intimidating me? Some people tell me, ‘Oh, be careful, they will kill you’. Kill who? Who told you, you will not die first?
“Those of you who are panicking, you don’t need to panic. I have God. What are you afraid of? They have chased us, they fought us but today we are standing very strong.
“Since 1999, I want Rivers people to always reflect on this, to ponder over it. Since 1999, we brought the highest votes for the Peoples Democratic Party. Since 1999, I challenge any state to say they brought more votes than Rivers State.
“Since 1999, I challenge any state in terms of support for the PDP, which state has given much support than Rivers State. Since 1999, show me one federal project in Rivers State.
“If you want our votes, tell me what you give will to Rivers State? Nothing can be for dash again. Enough is enough of using Rivers State and thinking we are foolish people and we don’t know what to do with our money.
“Enough is enough of using Rivers people and saying, ‘oh they will bring the votes and when they bring the votes they will push us away.
“Tell us what you are going to do for the people of Rivers State, not for me. There is nothing any of them can do for me but I am interested in my state, nobody can buy me.
“I am not going to look for position from anybody. Have I not been a minister before? So, what are you now going to entice me with as a person? Nothing. If you don’t tell me what the state will gain, then forget me.
“No amount of intimidation, no amount of threats. This government fought us but we survive. Most of them who are talking now, if this Federal Government had descended on them, they would have crumbled.”
