THE coalition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants for the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Federal House of Representatives have rejected Barr.

Nyesom Wike as the PDP governorship flag bearer of the state. This was contained in a statement yesterday signed by four members of the coalition including Mr Eyaalada Akari, Mr Nature Kieghe, Engr. Francis Ibarakunye, and Mr Iheanyichukwu Paul.

The statement noted that the coalition did not recognize any gubernatorial candidate in the state due to flaws in the primary elections.

“Several members of the coalition received invitations via SMS to a meeting scheduled for 11 am on Tuesday with an aspirant purporting to be the ‘governorship candidate’ of the Party and State Chairman of the PDP,” it said.

“In the said SMS,” it added, “Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Wike is addressed as the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Rivers State.”

“Having met at emergency session, we wish to reiterate the fact that to the best of our knowledge, the PDP in Rivers State does not yet have a gubernatorial candidate or any candidate for any other elective offices except the presidency following gross fundamental flaws in all other primaries,” it further stated.

To this end, the statement added, the coalition has dissociated itself from the said meeting.

It urged the national leadership of the party to timely resolve complaints regarding the PDP primaries in the state as this would have grave consequences at the polls as the state may be handed to the APC and make Mr. President worry about Rivers state in his tough re-election battle because his brothers and sisters in Rivers state sold their rights for a pot of porridge which may not really taste as it looks. “The truth is that,a Wike candidacy poses the greatest risk to PDP.

It will tear the party apart with the real possibility of losing a majority elections in the state.” In a related development, the Kalabari/Ijaw ethnic nationality in Rivers state said they have rejected Barr.

Nyesom Wike and have instead endorsed Dr Dakuku Peterside, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as their gubernatorial candidate. Their position was contained in a communique read by Chief Broadfield Michael Jack to journalists, Kalabari chiefs, and elders in Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday.

It said that the decision to support Mr Peterside was in protest of the ‘political hegemony of the Ikwerre’. “It is sad that the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, an acclaimed Rivers daughter, who should share and protect the innermost sensibilities of Rivers people, is at the forefront of institutionalising a political hegemony by openly endorsing a governorship candidate from Ikwerre,” it said.

“Mr President as an Ijaw should have taken timely decision to protect the legitimate political rights of Rivers-Ijaw, but rather the president chose to act in the same manner as he did concerning the Kalabari oil fields,” it further stated.”