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Wike hits Obaseki: Betrayal runs in your DNA, Oshiomhole warned us about you
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has has fired back at Godwin Obaseki, his Edo State counterpart, as a rift between the duo continues to escalate.
Obaseki had Wike on Monday over the latter’s attack on Philip Shaibu, the Edo deputy governor, saying that the PDP is not the personal property of the Rivers governor.
The Edo governor had said he will not accept political bullies and overlords, reminding Wike how he had dethroned bullies and high handed leaders.
Defending the deputy governor over his remarks about Edo PDP, Obaseki had said Wike should have taken a cue from the way the national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, responded to Shaibu’s remarks.
He collaborated Shaibu’s complaint that “the leaders, executives and members” who defected along with him from the All Progressives Congress (APC) have not been accepted, integrated and harmonized into the Edo PDP.
He lamented that the defectors were being vilified and ostracised by a cabal led by Chief Dan Orbih.
Obaseki had wondered why Wike is always fond of threatening the party and party leaders, saying that while nobody is against Wike’s desire to run for President, he should not pursue his ambition in a disruptive manner.
Obaseki had said: “While Wike is free to use his resources as he deems fit in pursuit of his ambition, he should not attempt to cow, intimidate, cajole and threaten others into doing his bidding. Edo State cannot and will not be procured for anyone’s personal ambition.”
But responding to Obaseki, While while addressing a crowd at an event on Monday in Rivers State, accused the Edo governor of betrayal and ingratitude.
He allege that the Edo governor has refused to be grateful to the party and the people who supported him to be re-elected when he left the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike apologised to a former national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, whom he said had initially warned them about accepting Governor Obaseki into the PDP fold.
“If you check the DNA of Obaseki, what you will see in that DNA is betrayal, serial betrayal, and ungratefulness,” he said while addressing a crowd at the commissioning of a secondary school in Omuanwa community, Rivers State.
“Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomhole who has been vindicated by telling us that we will see the true colour, the insincerity, the ungratefulness of Governor Obaseki.
“We have voted for PDP since 1999 till now; ask Governor Obaseki if he has done anything for PDP (or) voted for PDP. The only election he voted was his own election – where we gave him an umbrella.”
“Let me clearly say without any apology to anybody that one of the problems in this country is leadership – people who cannot stand firm and say: this is white; this is black at all times,” the Rivers governor said.
“I am not in the class of Obaseki, never! We are not the same, we can’t be the same. I was the DG of his campaign, I went there (to Edo) for three days. I stayed there without having my bath. I have never seen somebody like that in my life – a serial betrayer.
“Let me tell you Obaseki, I know your cohorts and I will smoke all of you out. This is not the Benin artefact that you were challenging the Oba (of Benin), this is politics. Obaseki, I have more stake in PDP than you. I have fought for this party, mention one thing that you have done for the PDP.”
