…says Rivers Governor still sulking after loss of PDP ticket
John Alechenu, Abuja
The Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democ ratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned  the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, against speaking under the influence of alcohol.

Atiku gave the words of caution in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications, Phrank Shaibu, in Abuja, on Sunday.

He gave the advice in response to comments made by the governor while addressing his supporters, in Port Harcourt.

Shaibu quoted Wike as confirming his alleged alcohol induced vituperations targeted at Atiku since losing the PDP presidential ticket.

He said, “Wike had while addressing supporters at the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday stated that he was drinking a 40-year-old whiskey while he was watching members of his own party on TV protesting against electoral fraud of February 25 in Abuja.

“As they were protesting, I just sat down and took a 40-year whisky. I called some of my friends and opened the 40-year-old whisky as they were protesting,” Wike had said.

Shaibu  advised Wike “to stay off alcohol” as it had not only affected his voice and demeanour but also his thinking faculty.

He said, “Governor Wike has confirmed what we all know. That he is a drunkard. The protest that was led by Waziri Atiku Abubakar on Monday, March 6, 2023, was against the stealing of the mandate of the Nigerian people, which in itself was a noble cause.

“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. This reveals the sort of man he is – a dipsomaniac  who abandons his official duties on Monday morning to binge on whisky.

“This explains the reason for his coarse voice, which is similar to that of a motor park tout. It is obvious that Governor Wike also dances under the influence of alcohol. No wonder it is characterised by aesthetic vulgarity.

“It is a common rule that you do not drink and drive. Unfortunately, a drunkard is the one steering the wheel of governance in Rivers State. This is more disturbing because he is married to a judge. Indeed, the term, as sober as a judge, could not even rub off positively on the cantankerous governor.”

Shaibu further explained that “Wike’s vituperations and wailings” had nothing to do with ensuring that the south produced the next president.

He argued that Wike was just a sore loser who had gone on to deceive other members of his G5 who are now battling for political survival.

The Atiku aide added, “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.

“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.”

Shaibu also lambasted Wike for admitting on video to have manipulated the outcome of the elections in his state in the last election.

He commended the nearly 300,000 Nigerians that had signed a petition on Change.Org to demand that the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union impose a visa ban on him.

Atiku’s aide reiterated that, “At this point, I would love to commend the nearly 300,000 Nigerians who have signed the petition for Wike’s visa sanction.

“ This is a step in the right direction. This is a man who in every election he has ever been involved in has been characterised by rigging and violence so much so that under his watch, the media tagged his state, ‘Rivers of Blood’.

“This is a man who, during a leaked phone conversation with Governor Ayodele Fayose, admitted to ‘killing everyone we can kill’.

“This is a man who talks down on traditional rulers in his state, arrests those he doesn’t agree with, seals off the buildings of his opponents and even revokes C of O of those in his bad books. May Nigeria never see such an emperor again who uses violence to subdue his people for political gains.”