Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have appealed to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to stop his open criticisms of his colleagues.
The governors also asked Wike to sheath his sword and join others to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Investigations by one of our correspondents showed that the emissaries of the PDP Governors’ Forum, who met with Wike at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday night, were very frank in their discussion with the governor.
The delegation, which was led the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, also had other governors such as Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Mohammed Mattawale (Zamfara) .
Tambuwal was said to have been chosen as the leader of the delegation because of his closeness to Wike.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives was the choice of Wike for the PDP presidential ticket in 2015. There were insinuations that Wike had not shown much commitment to the party and its cause since the defeat of Tambuwal at the party’s presidential primary election, which the governor of Rivers State, hosted.
Wike recently caused a commotion in the party when he congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari for defeating the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.
He defended his action by adding that he decided to congratulate the President in the open unlike some of the PDP governors that he alleged usually visit the President at night.
He also caused another stir in the party when he accused members of a committee set up to investigate the emergence of Ndudi Elumelu as the minority leader in the House of Representatives of corruption.
The committee, which was chaired by a former Senate President, Senator Iyorchia Ayu; Adolphus Wabara, David Mark (both former presidents of the senate); a former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, who later resigned from the committee
A source at Friday’s meeting in Port Harcourt said that Wike was asked to know that as one of the leaders of the party, it would be wrong for him to talk to those regarded as senior members of the party ‘‘in such a way that would portend the party as being divided.’’
The source said, ‘‘It was a frank meeting. Members of the delegation were carefully chosen. The delegation comprised those considered his (Wike’s) close friends and confidants.
‘‘The meeting discussed a lot of issues which we believe will help lift the party and position it as being together ahead of its appeal at the Supreme Court in its case against the election of President Buhari.
‘‘Then, we also discussed the need for the party to work together in order to confront the APC in the November governorship elections in both Bayelsa and Kogi states
,”We also asked the governor (of Rivers) not to openly castigate his colleagues on any issue. He agreed and told us his mind as well. You know Wike is not someone who will not express himself on any issue. At the end of the day, we resolved to move on together as a formidable team.’’
At the end of the meeting, Tambuwal said the governors of the PDP had agreed to remain strong and united in friendship and brotherhood.
Speaking on Friday during the six PDP governors’ visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt, Tambuwal explained that the visit was to commend the Rivers State Governor for his sustained projects delivery.
Tambuwal said the governors urged him (Wike) to continue to deliver quality projects and sustain good governance for the development of Rivers State.
Tambuwal said, “We are also here to join him and the good people of Rivers State in thanking God for his leadership and to thank God for giving the state a wonderful leader like him. The Peoples Democratic Party is very strongly united.
“We are here as brothers and friends to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in the spirit of brotherhood and friendship, to encourage and support him for the good governance he has given to the good people of Rivers State.”
‘‘The 100 days of the second term of Governor Wike is also why we are here. The spirit in Port Harcourt and Rivers State is that of celebration and thanksgiving and gratitude to God for such a wonderful leadership by Governor Wike.”
Source: Punch
