All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain representing Sokoto North senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, has poured cold water on Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike’s assertion that he lost the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election because of religion.
Wamakko, hosted by Wike, spoke in Port Harcourt on Tuesday at the inauguration of one of the Rivers State governor’s projects.
Wamakko’s position came as it emerged yesterday that the leadership crisis in PDP over the outcome of the party’s presidential primary was becoming intractable as members of the National Working Committee (NWC) appeared to have ditched Wike and were fraternising with the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
But Chairman, Emohua Local Government Area in Rivers State, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, yesterday berated fellow Rivers man, Senator Lee Maeba, over his recent verbal attack on Wike.
In a related development, the governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, appealed to Wike and other political leaders not to return the state to the dark era of politics of bitterness and antagonism.
Responding to an earlier remark by Wike on his loss of the PDP presidential ticket, Wamakko pointed out that religion was not a major factor in Nigeria’s national elections.
“My brother, I beg to disagree that you lost the election during the last PDP convention because of religion,” the former Sokoto State governor stated.
“This is because Muslims voted for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo twice as president of this country,” Wamakko said.
The former governor added, “Muslims also voted twice for former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from the South-south geopolitical zone. I am sorry, sir, I have to disagree with you on the matter of religion here. Take note, please.”
He, however, commended Wike for his developmental strides in Rivers, saying, “I have seen what you can do, what you have done and I believe that you have the capacity to do more. Having said that, let me repeat again that Governor Wike, you are very dynamic, very courageous and talk and do governor of Rivers State.”
Earlier, in his speech, Wike noted that the country’s development challenges bordered on lack of experienced people who were passionate to serve and advance society.
The governor stated, “Somebody called me last night and said people are talking that the Nigerian economy was dying, things are hard in Nigeria, that am I in a different country; that every day we are commissioning new projects. It is not the amount of money you have, it is your passion, your love for your people, your commitment to your people and the job.
“The problem we have in this country today, we don’t have people who have that passion, who want to serve their people. The only regret I have is that I don’t have the opportunity to tell the bandits enough is enough. If I have the opportunity in the bandits’ zone, their time would have been gone, but unfortunate I don’t have it. But this one I have, I will use it to serve my people so that they will be happy and they deserve the best.
“A good government should be close to the people. There is nothing wrong in being close to the people. But what is important is what you have achieved in being close to those in authority. May God forbid that I should be close to a president or vice president and nothing will come to my community.”
