*Claims Atiku’s men sponsored the legal tussle 

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, Friday described as insincerity the allegations by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike that his loyalists filed the suit challenging his (Atiku’s) victory in the presidential party primary.

The suit was marked as having been instituted by Wike against the PDP presidential candidate; the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and the PDP over the conduct of the presidential primary of the party which was held  in Abuja on May 28 and May 29.

In the suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, Wike and one Newgent Ekamon, were listed as the plaintiffs.

In the originating summons, the PDP was listed as the first respondent, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the second respondent, while Tambuwal and Atiku were listed as the third and fourth respondents, respectively.

But the governor in a statement Friday by his media aide, Mr. Kelvin Ebiri, explained that the governor was not aware of the suit.

He accused Atiku’s loyalists of initiating the court case,  turning around to affix Wike’s name in it.

Wike stated: “People have called me throughout this morning and said all kinds of things that I went to court against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. 

“I want to say categorically, if I have a reason to go to court; I will go to court, but I didn’t go to court.

“Yesterday too, they said I removed all PDP flags in Rivers State Government House. But I just have to say these things for Nigerians to know that I have kept quiet, and I’m busy delivering dividends of democracy for my party to win election in Rivers State.

“But I want to tell the candidate: it is the candidate’s group that are doing all these things. 

“Let the world hear, they are the ones plotting all these things, thinking that they will spoil my name; they cannot.”

Wike explained that if he wanted to take legal action against the outcome of the PDP presidential primary, it would have been prosecuted within two weeks after the primary when such pre-election matters were entertained.

He added, “I didn’t go to court; I have no reason to go to court. But those of you who are plotting and saying that I went to court, for you to have come out now to say Wike went to court, I say shame on you. Shame will be on all of you.

‘’I have told the candidate, you will win or lose this election because of the people around you. 

“Anybody who knows me knows too well that if I was going to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks after the primary because it is a pre-election matter and after two weeks, you can’t go to court.’’

“The legal adviser of the party called me and told me that he knows that there is mischief going on. But that he knows me very well, if I’m going to court, it is not those kinds of lawyers that I would have used and I don’t even know the lawyers,” he clarified.

The spokesman stated that there are bigger challenges ahead on how to win the 2023 general election for the PDP, stressing that this should be the focus of all true lovers of PDP who want electoral victory.

“You’re supposed to be talking about how you will win the election. All these rent seekers around him are not doing him any favour. Rather, they are trying to prevent him from winning the election. But if that is what they wished, I wish them good luck.

“You see that I am not talking. I am doing my work, so leave me to do my work. Those concocting ideas everyday; social media cannot make you win elections.

“Election is about the people and by the people. Let those in Abuja with you (Atiku); tell them to go home and campaign for you to win the election. Leave Wike alone, enough is enough.”

Instead of planning how to win the 2023 election, Wike alleged that some governors were wasting time levelling accusations against him.

‘’When I see people talking about PDP today, I say to myself what is going on in this world. In the South-South, they all betrayed us. President Muhammadu Buhari wouldn’t have won the 2019 election because he won’t have had the spread.

“But all the states in the South-South made Buhari to have 25 percent. It was only Rivers State that did not give Buhari 25 percent;I am challenging anybody on it,” Wike said.

But reacting to the governor’s comments, the media aide to Atiku, Paul Ibe said it is ridiculous for anyone to  insinuate that the suit was instituted by Atiku’s camp.

‘’Why will the candidate of a party go to the extent of instigating a suit against anybody? 

“It does not make sense since he (Wike) is making the allegations, he has to provide evidence,’’ he said.