TheCable

Phrank Shaibu, an aide to Atiku Abubakar, has tackled Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, over his recent remark about Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike recently said he was “drinking a 40-year-old whiskey” when members of the PDP were protesting at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the result of the presidential election.

The demonstration was led by Atiku and other PDP chieftains.

“As they were protesting, I just sat down and I took one 40-year-old whiskey. I called some of my friends — o boy, sit down. Make una sit down open 40 years,” Wike had said.

Reacting in a statement issued on Sunday, Shaibu said: “For the sake of clarity, the protest occurred around 11.30am. Governor Wike says he was drinking whisky during the protest at 11.30am on a Monday.”

Shaibu said Wike is a “sore loser who deceived other members of his G5 (governors) who are now battling for political survival”.

He said Wike abandoned his allies — Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) — after they lost their senatorial bid in the general election.

“Wike’s grouse with Waziri Atiku Abubakar has nothing to do with zoning. He is only wailing because he lost the presidential ticket of the PDP in a fair contest. After losing, he deceived four other governors to join his futile campaign,” he said. 

“Three governors of the G5 failed woefully at their senatorial elections, including Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, who, as a sitting governor, came a distant third in the Abia South senatorial election. For Governor Seyi Makinde, his ambition is hanging by a thread after his misadventure cost the PDP to lose all three senatorial elections.

“Wike has not held a single meeting with his G5 members, having dumped them since their defeat. He has been rejoicing over the outcome of the polls even though his men have all lost. This is the sort of man he is, and yet he claims not to be committing anti-party infractions.”