Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Friday,revealed that Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu favoured the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as PDP Presidential candidate through an unjust process.
Governor Wike, who lost the presidential ticket to Atiku in the May primaries has refused to work with Ayu or Atiku as he insists on the Chairman’s resignation as a precondition for supporting Atiku.
He said, but for the love they had for the party, they would have stampeded stopped the PDP convention from holding.
In the media parley, Wike alleged that the PDP’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, played a vital role that was prejudicial to other aspirants for the emergence of Atiku as PDP flagbearer.
The governor added that Ayu called several presidential aspirants to step down for the former vice president during the convention.
“He was calling aspirants to withdraw for Atiku. I was there, Saraki and others were there.
“He manipulated the delegates. There was nothing Ayu did not do to ensure Wike didn’t emerge,” Wike said.
The governor added, “Meetings upon meetings were going. Pressures were being mounted on people to step down.
“Even on the night of the convention meetings were going on. That is why we started our convention late.
“Some of the retired generals were involved. Some of the meetings were held in their houses. There is nothing they didn’t do for me to step down.
“Those who know me, know that I would have stopped the convention, even if heaven falls.”
The Wike camp recently withdrew from the campaign council which was scheduled for inauguration next Wednesday after a meeting at Wike’s residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday morning.
Atiku reacted to the group in a statement he personally signed, restating his decision to not interfere in the demands for Ayu’s removal.