By Jimitota Onoyume  & Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT—Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that nobody can give the party ultimatum or direct it on what to do.

Nyesom Wike

Wike, at the sensitisation rally on non-violent election organised by the Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, said that the ultimatum issued by PDP statesmen and chieftains from a riverine ethnic nationality in the state cannot be adhered to by the party.

Similarly, PDP Elders Forum in the state has called on the national leadership of the party to ignore an ultimatum for the party to substitute the governorship candidate of the party with somebody from the riverine part of the state.

The Rivers Leaders and Elders Council, led by Chief Albert Horsfall, had handed the party a 7-day ultimatum to substitute the candidate of the party, Wike, with somebody from the riverine area, insisting that it would be unfair for Wike, who is from Ikwerre to succeed Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is also from Ikwerre area of the state.

Wike, in a statement, said it was an empty threat as no single individual can give the party instruction on what to do, adding that elder statesmen do not incite the polity but seek for peace.

“Nobody can sit in his house and give directives. You cannot be in your house and say, I direct Riverine, because we refused your children from flying the flags of PDP for the House of Representatives. Elder statesmen do not talk anyhow. Theirs is to make peace and not incite the polity.

“When they have received favour from Amaechi, they think they can direct PDP on what to do. You cannot direct an association you don’t belong to. They are making empty threats, mark it today, their efforts are in vain. If they know me very well, they will not be talking again.”

On its part, the PDP Elders Forum, in its statement by Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, said that the call by the Horsfall-led group was undemocratic.

“Chief Horsfall and his group are fully aware that in partisan politics, governors are not appointed as is being demanded by them but must emerge from political parties through elections and for a political party to win an election, it must be strong, popular and field a flag bearer with the capacity to lead the party to victory.”