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By ‘Wemdi Nwaham

The likes of Dr. Bitrus Pogu are the men blurring the picture of the seeming crisis in PDP and preventing many undiscerning Nigerians from seeing the true picture of what transpired in the PDP upto now.

First, the request was for PDP to micro-zone the presidency to the South East. Wike thwarted it because he had his own ambition. Why would Wike have ambition if he wanted equity and fairness. After all, in PDP, his brother from neighbouring Bayelsa Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, had a 6 year stint at the presidency. But no, Wike will not have that. What he did in the build up to the PDP presidential jaw-jaw and the primaries is the same way he brow-beated his way to the governorship of Rivers state, throwing shouts of power shift to the gutters. Rotimi Amaechi, an Ikwere man had just finished eight years. It is like Okowa finishing his eight years and someone from Ndokwa or Aniocha Oshimili will seek to contest the next 8 years.

But Wike did, preaching electability as his buzzword. Which section of this country does not have electable persons. But, backed by Mrs. Patience Jonathan, Wike clubbed his way to power as governor.
Why can’t people see the hypocrisy in this man? Is it because of hatred for Okowa?

Now to the issue of Vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Bitrus Pogu said, “…Now, the funny thing is that the governor of Delta, in whose place this meeting was held and who read the communique, first of all, not only betrayed the South by ensuring that his delegates cast votes for a northern candidate, but he also grabbed the position of vice president. This is double jeopardy”. How can a man in a position to know the whole truth, churn out half baked information to the public on television?

Can we now blame it on selective amnesia or outright mischief that Dr. Pogu chose to forget that Gov. Wike’s name was also on the shortlist of those considered for the position of Vice Presidential candidate? Was he not also quietly waiting to be picked? And if Atiku, whose prerogative it is to pick his Vice Presidential candidate, had announced Gov. Wike, would he not have “grabbed the position”? People in the position of the President of the Middle Belt Forum, should talk with candour and stick to the truth at all times.

On the issue of Okowa making sure that his delegates voted for a northerner, what else would anybody have expected after Peter Obi had been chased out of the party by a rampaging Wike. And going by Gov. Wike’s bullish behaviour, many party stalwarts would not have liked his style and approach. He who seeks equity must go with clean hands. And Gov. Wike already soiled his hands and put off many people who would rather not have a nepotistic brute, a destroyer of equity, as president.

NWAHAM