Governor Nyesom Wike has asked embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole to resign over his failure to stop swearing of Sen Douye Diri as Bayelsa state Governor.
Wike, addressing the media Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers state in furtherance of his reactions to the political watershed in Bayelsa, also vowed that Oshiomhole and the APC would never succeed in wrestling political power from PDP in Rivers.
He said: “This is a country where you see people who do not have character. Today they sing a song, tomorrow they sing another. I think Oshiomhole as National Chairman of APC is not a character anybody should associate with.
“First, I have never been violent, will never be. However, when you see an armed robber come to your house, will you plead with the robber and say I beg you, leave my house. People think armed robbers are only those who cart away people’s money.
“The worst form of armed robbery is when you steal people’s mandate, like Oshiomhole is noted for. He thinks because he’s in the ruling party, he can use security to steal the mandate of the people. He was taught a lesson, a bitter lesson and I want to repeat, if you come to steal our mandate, the people will respond accordingly.
“They will oppose your stealing of their mandate and so Oshiomhole thinks because he is in the ruling party nobody should say anything or do anything. Stealing is not only when you go to rob a bank. The worse form of armed robbery is when you steal the mandate of the people”
Accusing Oshiomhole of always being driven by survival instincts, the Rivers Governor said he stopped attending the National Economic Council when Oshiomhole turned it into a forum for bashing former President Goodluck Jonathan after earlier going to praise Jonathan at Aso Villa for ensuring credible elections.
He said, “When Jonathan made sure elections were free and fair, Oshiomhole came to the Villa and thanked Jonathan. When Jonathan left office, one of the reason I don’t go to NEC meeting is because of Oshiomhole when he was yet a member.
“When Jonathan left, there was no day at the NEC meeting Oshiomhole will not bring Jonathan down. Meanwhile, that was the same man Oshiomhole went to praise for allowing one man one vote. The man left and Oshiomhole changed. That is his character.”
He further said, “Nigerians know one matter that led to the amendment of the electoral act where Governorship election has to go to the Supreme Court is because of Oshiomhole matter. So he cannot come out and say he was clean in terms of electoral process. That will be very bad.
“Oshiomhole said he fought godfatherism and the same time he wants to install himself as a godfather in Edo state. Why is he fighting Obaseki, because the man doesn’t take instruction from him. He preaches what he doesn’t practice. ”
Declaring total allegiance to the Peoples Democratic Party, Wike said, “I will not be a member of their (APC) party. I have always been PDP and they know that. Oshiomhole knows his party didn’t even score up to 25 per cent in my state. He cannot tell me that. Oshiomhole has nothing to say about me. His party is probing him about the so-called hospital he says he built. I am not the one.
“Shame should be on him that at the end of the day the PDP Candidate has been sworn in as governor of Bayelsa. You can’t come out and open your mouth and say it will never happen. Now it has happened. If I were him I will resign, leave. I am not his friend, so he cannot say, my friend.
“All he is doing today is because the governors and some leaders of the party are saying this man cannot lead our party. Oshiomhole has failed. He is a man who opens his mouth anyhow. And this should be his last time, the moment he goes further he will know that Rivers is not what he thinks it is.”
On Oshiomhole’s parable that he (Oshiomhole) is an antelope, and Wike a tortoise, the Rivers Governor responded, “It’s unfortunate that Oshiomhole will use that word, a tortoise challenging an Antelope. How can Oshiomhole compare himself to me. I’m well-read, a lawyer, life bencher. I have a first degree in Political Science, my second, Law and I went to the Nigerian Law School and I passed very well. Let Oshiomhole tell me which University he attended.
“Oshiomhole has the audacity to say nobody will be sworn in in Bayelsa, causing crisis in the country and nobody wants to call him to order but for people like us in Rivers. Because of people like Oshiomhole and his style of leadership, his party lost so many areas they ought not to have lost.
“What made them not to have candidates in Rivers and Zamfara, it’s because of Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole led to the problem they have in Bayelsa. Oshiomhole takes from two sides. He is not a man of integrity and nobody should take him seriously.”
