Abia Guber : Wike Overuns Ayu, Atiku
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Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has taken charge of the impending Abia State Governorship Primaries as his Candidate and Chief of Staff to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Okey Ahiwe is set to pick the ticket.
Wike is alleged to have deployed enormous resources which sources said overwhelmed the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
The need for fresh Governorship Primaries in Abia PDP arose following the recent death of the former Gubernatorial Candidate of PDP, Prof. Uche Ikonne after a protracted ailment.
A leading Chieftain of the PDP in Abia State, Chief Emeka Kalu said he was shocked that Dr. Ayu could allow Governor Wike, who he said was bent on truncating Atiku Abubakar’s chances, to still dictate who would be the Governorship Candidate of the PDP in Abia State.
He described the emergence of Wike’s man as Abia PDP’s Candidate as “clear victory for Wike over Atiku and Ayu”.
Chief Kalu queried why Dr. Ayu would succumb to what he called” Wike’s antics and underhand practices.”
Many PDP supporters in Abia had preferred a core Atiku supporter from Isialangwa North where the Governorship ticket was zoned to rather than someone who is being accused of not supporting the presidential candidate of PDP to become the next Governor of the State.
But this permutation seems not to be working out because of the current over – bearing influence of Governor Wike over Governor Ikpeazu.
Also, there have been allegations that Dr. Ayu surrendered because of a promise allegedly made by Governor Ikpeazu to bankroll Atiku’s rally scheduled for 10th February in Abia State.
Meanwhile, Ikpeazu’s Chief of Staff, Chief Okey Ahaiwe, is facing opposition from major Abia stakeholders for reasons, which they claim “border on integrity deficit”.
