2023 polls: Atiku does not need us in Rivers, we’ll campaign for other candidates — Gov. Wike

Irrepressible Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike says the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Abubakar Atiku, does not need him in his campaign team for the 2023 presidential election.

According to Wike, Atiku also doesn’t want him and Rivers people to campaign for him.

Wike, who made the statement while speaking at the commissioning of the PDP governorship campaign office and the inauguration of the PDP campaign council in Port Harcourt on Monday, accused Atiku of appointing some members of the party in the state into his campaign council without his contribution.

He said: “The presidential candidate entered Rivers State and picked those he wants to pick without the contribution of the governor.

“So they said they don’t need me to campaign for them, that they don’t want Rivers people to campaign for them, will you force yourself?

“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers State and go and choose those who are enemies of the state.

“So they don’t want us to campaign, let’s campaign for those who want us to campaign for them.”

Persecondnews reports that Wike and Atiku have been embroiled in a lot of controversies following Atiku’s choice of running mate, Delta Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, for the 2023 presidential election.

Wike is also demanding the resignation or stepping down of Sen. Iyorchia Ayu as the PDP National Chairman to pave way for the emergence of a chairman from the South.

He said having both the chairman and presidential candidate from the North is a violation of the party’s constitution, a position that some PDP governors and former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George have also backed.