By Jimitota Onoyume

PORT HARCOURT— Former Minister of State for Education and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike, has dismissed as untrue, allegations by 16 aggrieved governorship aspirants of the party that he was behind the initial disqualification of some of them from the race by the South-South zone screening committee of the party.

Wike, who spoke in Port Harcourt, enjoined the 16 aggrieved aspirants not to see politics as a do-or-die affair, adding that those who truly love the party should work for its growth in the state and the country.

Nyesom Wike

The governorship aspirant who said there was never a time the party decided to rotate power between the upland and riverine part of the state challenged Governor Rotimi Amaechi to show proof that he awarded road construction contracts to him at the Amiesimaka Stadium.

Wike also described as untrue, allegation that he had already commenced campaign ahead of the time slated for it by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He said: “I was at the local government to talk to them. People have influence on these delegates and I have gone there to talk to these delegates to support me, to give me the mandate to fly the flag of the party so that I will be able to withstand All Progressives Congress, APC, in election. So, have I violated the Electoral Act? You mean I should not go to talk to delegates to vote for me during the primaries?”