I’m unaware of Atiku’s 2023 presidency ambition – Wike

On Friday, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor claimed he is unaware that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar wants to vie for the 2023 presidency.

Governor Wike made the assertion while speaking as a guest on the Africa Independent Television’s Programme, Focus Nigeria, in Port Harcourt on Friday, saying he was not aware of Atiku’s move because the PDP has not yet zoned the presidency.

Wike also said the resolution of the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has allayed his initial fear of possible implosion in the party.

He noted that the convivial manner in which PDP governors and Board of Trustee members resolved the crisis has given Nigerians hope that the party is prepared to takeover the realm of power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.

The governor explained that it was not uncommon for a political party to experience internal squabble  in view of the forthcoming poll and varying interests, but commended PDP governors for coming together to speak  with one voice to end the differences.

“I use to be afraid of possibility of an implosion and that could have  been the end of the party. But what I saw on Monday gave me a lot of confidence for the first time. I have never seen that happen, the way the governors came together and spoke in a convivial manner with no dissenting view. I was impressed.”

Wike, who dismissed insinuation that he has personal disagreement with the National Chairman of the PDP, stated that his primary concern had been to salvage the PDP from an impending doom occasioned by an inert leadership.

“Everybody believed that whatever the national chairman was doing was dictated by Wike and must have the backing of Wike. I believe when you support somebody, support him to succeed. But when things are also going wrong, if you don’t speak out, people will believe you are part of it. Therefore, I owe it as a duty to say things are not going right.”

The governor accused some members of the National Working Committee, particularly, the National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu of stirring crisis in the party because of his  governorship ambition.

He warned that the PDP should be wary of  agents of the APC, whose stock in trade is to cause division and destabilise the party. According to him, some of these persons are former governors and ministers.

Commenting on the recent court judgement that it is Rivers State government and not Federal Inland Revenue that should collect Value Added Tax and other related taxes in the State, the governor said the State approached the court to seek an end to perceived infraction of its rights and powers.

Wike, who accused the federal government of emasculating states by usurping their constitutional rights and powers, revealed that the Federal Inland Revenue had surreptitiously written to the National Assembly to amend the Constitution and make collection of VAT exclusive to the Federal government.