The Minister of State for Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has dared the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to carry out his threat and leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wike, who stated this in a parley with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, also denied betraying Governor Amaechi.
The governor had at the 60th birthday of a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, O.C.J Okocha (SAN), alleged that after helping Wike and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Austin Opara, to attain political prominence, the duo turned around and betrayed him when he needed them most.
He also threatened to lead his supporters on a mass exodus of the PDP, if he was “suffocated” in the party.
Amaechi said, “I lead the people of Rivers State and I will lead you. If they suffocate us in PDP and we need to move, we move!”
But dismissing the governor’s threat on Wednesday, Wike said, “I don’t observe fasting; I have started fasting so that he would leave the PDP. Let us meet in the field. Let us convince the Rivers State people. Let him leave the PDP; he is getting too late. Let him leave now. Let us meet at the election.”
Also, debunking Amaechi’s allegation of betrayal, Wike said he stood by the governor when he could have easily betrayed him had he wanted to.
It would be recalled that Amaechi’s cousin, Celestine Omehia was handed the PDP governorship ticket in 2006, but was later removed from office by the Supreme Court in 2007 which ruled that Amaechi was the rightful PDP candidate and declared him governor.
Wike said he led the struggle to ensure that Amaechi regained his mandate.
According to him, “When Amaechi was in Ghana, most people had given up the hope (that he would become a governor). I was chased by the EFCC.
“There was nothing that was not done to make me withdraw my support for Amaechi. I had everything with me to terminate Amaechi’s ambition.
“There was no offer that was not made to me, but I said ‘no’.”
The minister further claimed that most of those wining and dining with Amaechi now were nowhere to be found when he was struggling to reclaim his mandate.
He said, “I know those who were in the night going to Omehia’s house (the governor of the state in 2007) to beg him to make them ambassadors.”
My political mentor you’ve said it all we all have joined you to fast for ameachi to leave a house you built for us,God almighty will continue to give you strength to fight & stand for all the injustice ameachi has metted on all true Rivers indigienes.