The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has berated the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the just concluded presidential election, Peter Obi, over rigging allegation against him.
Obi had, at an interview with the Arise Television recently, accused Wike of working against him during the presidential election in Rivers State.
“Are they Igbo in Nasarawa? Are they Igbo in Plateau? Are they Igbo in Abuja? In Rivers, where you know that the governor came out against me and everything, I still… If the real votes of Rivers were counted, Reuben, I won. I had over 50 something per cent of the vote. The other two parties were sharing the others,” Obi stated.
But responding in a chat with journalists on Wednesday, the Rivers State Governor denied working against Obi.
He stated that he never told the people of Rivers State to casts their votes for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but for Nigeria’s unity.
The People’s Democratic Party, PDP’s chieftain pointed out that he never functioned as an Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s official, hence he wasn’t in the position to influence the election.
He described Obi as an insincere and ungrateful human being, adding that he was one of the persons who chose him to serve as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in 2019.
Wike further described Obi’s comment as unfortunate, pointing out that choosing him as Atiku’s running mate in 2019 attracted criticisms to him.
According to Wike: “I never told Rivers, people, to vote for Bola Ahmed Tinubu but for the Unity of Nigeria. As far as Rivers State is concerned, it was a power shift to the South. And there are two candidates from the South, Tinubu and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, so If the majority of Rivers People decided to vote for Tinubu and others for Peter Obi, that tells you the decision of the citizens.
“How can you talk about me rigging the election? I don’t work as ad-hoc staff for Independent National Electoral Commission, so I am not in the place to rig elections for anybody. When you have INEC’s materials, you can talk about rigging.
“But I take exemption to Peter Obi’s comment that I came out against him, people are not being sincere and appreciative. In 2019, I was among the people who chose Peter Obi for Atiku Abubakar.
“I was faulted for the choice, people like Ike Ekweremadu and my friend, the Governor of Ebonyi State and Pius Ayim. Every blame was on me; that why would I be the one to choose for the South East?
“Did he come out to say I supported him?
“I told Nigerians I will support a South candidate in the Presidential Election.
“When Peter Obi says I was against him, it is unfortunate because nobody ever told me that I campaigned against him. It is incorrect to say I was against him.
“I told my people to support a southern candidate, which they did; the first position in Rivers State during the poll was a south candidate, same with the second position,” he added.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress had emerged winner of the Rivers State presidential election with 231,591 votes, while Mr Obi scored 175,071 votes, according to INEC.
