I could have scuttled PDP presidential primary if I’d wanted to, says Wike

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, says he could have scuttled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election if he had wanted to.

He spoke on Monday, when he addressed PDP supporters in Rivers state.

Wike, who contested the presidential primary election on Saturday, finished second with 237 votes against former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who got 371 votes.

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, who was also a hopeful in the election, withdrew from the race soon before voting began.

There was no hint that the Sokoto governor would withdraw from the race because he had addressed delegates during the session given to hopefuls to appeal to delegates for votes.

Wike said Tambuwal’s action violated the guidelines of the convention.

“If I wanted to scuttle the convention, I would have done that and I told them. There are people you think they are human beings but they are not human beings,” he said.

“I have never seen how people can violate procedures and guidelines. Somebody had spoken, it is only at that point he was speaking that he can say I have withdrawn. You don’t call him back.

“I just decided that this our party must not be destroyed. I would have left where I was sitting down and say this convention cannot go ahead except you allow me to talk. I would have flattened him.”

TheCable had reported how Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the PDP, commended Tambuwal for his role at the presidential primary election.

Ayu, who visited Tambuwal at his residence in Abuja on Sunday, said: ”Thank you. You are the hero of the convention.”