Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State, has claimed that Nyesom Wike
does not have a monopoly over the Rivers electorate since he will lose
political relevance after his term is through.
Lamido's remarks come as the conflict between Wike and Atiku Abubakar, the
PDP's presidential candidate, is getting worse.
In an interview, Atiku explained why he chose Delta state governor Ifeanyi
Okowa instead of Wike as his running mate. He regarded Okowa as a viable vice
presidential candidate with the capacity to succeed him.
On Tuesday, Lamido downplayed the present standoff between the feuding members
as a minor issue when speaking on a Channels TV programme.
“We should forget about Wike”. was his response on the Rivers state governor’s level of importance in swaying voters decisions in the state.
“Wike is an individual, I don’t think because he is a governor there he has control and monopoly over the peoples of Rivers,” he said.
“Right now, if you go to Rivers, there were 13 governorship aspirants for the governorship candidate in Rivers State, it was Wike who imposed the current candidate.”
The 73-year-old statesman declared that Wike’s political relevance will wane in the coming months.
“The others are there complaining and screaming. I saw him on TV talking the other day, he was very bombastic. He was saying that he would not allow this and that.”
“In the next eight months, he will become a political destitute like me.”
He also added that “Wike is an individual. I don’t think because he is a governor, then he has the monopoly and control over Rivers. He does not have it. He is always speaking because he is a bluff. The people of Rivers State are in PDP in their own right.
“Because he is now a governor, he can appropriate sovereignty and become an emperor because he is a governor. It cannot work. There is a Wike in every part of the country. Leave Wike alone, he can give order to Rivers people if they are enslaved to him. If they are his slave— fair enough, he is their emperor, let him give orders.”