The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday fired back at his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, for verbally attacking him and his deputy Philip Shaibu.
While reacting, Governor Obaseki said, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not the personal property of the Rivers governor.
Recall that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had earlier described Philip Shaibu, Edo deputy governor, as an ingrate for threatening to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to Wike, “Threatening the party, that there are alternatives to PDP. This is the same people that were kneeling down to beg for us to give them the umbrella, today you have the effrontery to threaten the PDP. Such a shame. These are the same people when they were denied tickets under APC, they were running helter-skelter begging everybody to give them an umbrella and we gave them an umbrella.”
Obaseki reminding Wike how he had dethroned bullies and high-handed leaders in the past, he maintained that he will not accept political bullies and overlords.
In an advertorial published in a national newspaper, the Edo governor accused Wike of unguarded and disruptive tendencies, urging party leaders to call him to order.
Defending his deputy over his remarks about Edo PDP, Obaseki said Wike should have taken a cue from the way the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, responded to Shaibu’s remarks.
He collaborated with Shaibu’s complaint that “the leaders, executives and members” who defected along with him from the All Progressives Congress (APC) have not been accepted, integrated, and harmonized into the Edo PDP.
The Governor claimed that a cabal led by Chief Dan Orbih have vilified and ostracised those that came to the PDP with him.
Obaseki wondered why Wike is always fond of threatening the party and party leaders.
According to Obaseki, “While Wike is free to use his resources as he deems fit in pursuit of his ambition, he should not attempt to cow, intimidate, cajole and threaten others into doing his bidding. Edo State cannot and will not be procured for anyone’s personal ambition.”
