Sule Lamido to Wike: Stop complaining about PDP primary — be like Osinbajo, Amaechi

Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa, has asked Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, to stop complaining about the outcome of the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Lamido spoke in an interview with THISDAY, which was published on Sunday.

In May, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar won the PDP presidential ticket after he polled 371 votes, while Wike, his closest challenger, secured 237 votes.

Prior to the selection of a running mate, many believed that Wike would be favoured by Atiku but the former VP picked Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta.

Explaining the rationale behind his decision, Atiku said he chose someone he could work with amicably.

Wike subsequently reacted by saying the former vice-president “told many lies”.

Speaking on the development, Lamido, a PDP chieftain, advised Wike to learn from Peter Odili, a former Rivers governor, who did not get the PDP presidential ticket for the 2007 election.

Lamido also said Wike should emulate Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, who both lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.

“A day to the PDP’s presidential convention, which Peter Odili of Rivers State was bound to win and was also bound to win the presidential election, he was stopped by the party which went on to nominate President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who did not even show interest,” Lamido said.

“He was promised a vice presidential ticket and yet he was not given. He took everything as the mature man he is.

“Look at the APC, Vice-President Osinbajo was humiliated; the senate president was also humiliated and even his countryman, Amaechi was given the same treatment; they took it as mature men and did not go about complaining as Wike is doing. This is called maturity.

“Do you know why? This is because the party is supreme. You cannot be bigger than your party. Party is organic. The convention has come and gone.

“Osinbajo, Lawan and Amaechi have shown maturity because their party has spoken. If Wike is in the APC will he be talking and behaving as he is doing now?

“When I say that the party is supreme, I mean that the PDP is an organic party. Many people defected to the APC in 2015, but the PDP remained strong because it is organic with root structures; it is not a one-man party.

“Wike should show maturity as the matter is no longer between him and Atiku. Atiku is now the PDP candidate; whatever he is doing now is not a fight against Atiku but the party. The party made him.

“Let him learn from his former boss, Peter Odili. He will tell him a story that is so touching because I have never seen a person who was cheated on and who was so denied as Peter Odili.

“The man is so humble, so tolerant. I mean he is everything good. Wike offered himself to be elected. I came from the old order that respects political party culture. His candidate for the governorship in Rivers state was imposed by him.

“Others wanted to be governor; have they reconciled? The guy he imposed won the governorship ticket at the congress. Who offended Wike? Did the convention offend Wike? How? There is no reconciliation. He is a party man and after the convention, he said the process was very credible. He said so.”