Umahi Replies Wike, Accuses Rivers Governor Of ‘Remote-Controlling’ PDP

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has described his Rivers
State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, as a dictator whose actions are
‘destroying’ the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Umahi was reacting to a statement credited to Mr Wike who
said he (Umahi) left the party for the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) because of his desperation to be president of the
country in 2023.

Mr Umahi spoke on an Arise TV interview programme on
Wednesday.

He said Mr Wike’s “dictatorial tendencies and overbearing
influence on the party’s affairs had made other governors to be
unhappy with him”.

He warned Mr Wike to desist from attacking him “as it would be
very dangerous if both of them continue attacking each other.”

Mr Umahi said: “I refused to join issues with Wike because he is
my friend. But Wike must know that he is a dictator. Wike must know
that one person cannot be called a crowd. Wike must know that a lot
of governors in PDP are not very happy with him. He remote controls
the party.

“He (Wike) said that I made my brother the Vice Chairman. I fund
the PDP South-east from A to Z. And he has forgotten that he
singlehandedly made Secondus the (PDP) Chairman. He has forgotten
that he wanted to impose one of his own as minority leader of the
house.

“There is nothing that happens in PDP without his authorisation.
He once said that PDP National Working Committee members are
beggars and bribe takers. I have asked him that let’s not take on
ourselves or else it will be very dangerous.

“So let’s us face the party, the party does not belong to him.
And this is by no means personal and he is demonstrating the
dictatorial tendencies in him by taking on me, a fellow governor.
And that is very shameful.”

Mr Umahi warned that more governors would leave the PDP fold
“unless there is a change in the mode of doing things in the
PDP”.

Wike remote-controlling PDP
The Ebonyi governor also accused his Rivers counterpart of
‘remote-controlling’ the PDP.

“APC does more consultation. Anybody can contravene this that
PDP working committee is being remote-controlled and that is the
truth and it is very dangerous and all the governors know that.

“You (Wike) cannot stay in your state and you will be
remote-controlling what happens in other states. Unless that
changes you will see a lot of governors leaving the party,” he
warned.

Mr Umahi also said he is not desperate to be president of the
country, contrary to Mr Wike’s assertion.

He, however, said “he will be a happy man if a president of
South-east is elected in 2023 even if that person is not him.”

The Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has described his Rivers
State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, as a dictator whose actions are
‘destroying’ the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Umahi was reacting to a statement credited to Mr Wike who
said he (Umahi) left the party for the ruling All Progressives
Congress (APC) because of his desperation to be president of the
country in 2023.

Mr Umahi spoke on an Arise TV interview programme on
Wednesday.

He said Mr Wike’s “dictatorial tendencies and overbearing
influence on the party’s affairs had made other governors to be
unhappy with him”.

He warned Mr Wike to desist from attacking him “as it would be
very dangerous if both of them continue attacking each other.”

Mr Umahi said: “I refused to join issues with Wike because he is
my friend. But Wike must know that he is a dictator. Wike must know
that one person cannot be called a crowd. Wike must know that a lot
of governors in PDP are not very happy with him. He remote controls
the party.

“He (Wike) said that I made my brother the Vice Chairman. I fund
the PDP South-east from A to Z. And he has forgotten that he
singlehandedly made Secondus the (PDP) Chairman. He has forgotten
that he wanted to impose one of his own as minority leader of the
house.

“There is nothing that happens in PDP without his authorisation.
He once said that PDP National Working Committee members are
beggars and bribe takers. I have asked him that let’s not take on
ourselves or else it will be very dangerous.

“So let’s us face the party, the party does not belong to him.
And this is by no means personal and he is demonstrating the
dictatorial tendencies in him by taking on me, a fellow governor.
And that is very shameful.”

Mr Umahi warned that more governors would leave the PDP fold
“unless there is a change in the mode of doing things in the
PDP”.

Wike remote-controlling PDP
The Ebonyi governor also accused his Rivers counterpart of
‘remote-controlling’ the PDP.

“APC does more consultation. Anybody can contravene this that
PDP working committee is being remote-controlled and that is the
truth and it is very dangerous and all the governors know that.

“You (Wike) cannot stay in your state and you will be
remote-controlling what happens in other states. Unless that
changes you will see a lot of governors leaving the party,” he
warned.

Mr Umahi also said he is not desperate to be president of the
country, contrary to Mr Wike’s assertion.

He, however, said “he will be a happy man if a president of
South-east is elected in 2023 even if that person is not him.”