Wike Accused Ayu Of Collecting N100 Million And N1bn From A Gov
- ‘We’ll Not Back Down Until Ayu Resigns’
RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that his group would not back down in its demand for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
At a media chat in Port Harcourt on Friday, October 14, Wike said his demand is for the “interest” of his people, reiterating that the South should be allowed to produce the national chairman since the presidential ticket is in the North.
He said those from the South who support Ayu’s chairmanship are hypocrites, adding: “All you should know is that we are not going to back down. When they say, go and talk to Wike, and I ask them a question, they run away. Some of them are just hypocrites.
“I will look into their eyes and say, ‘where are you from, what will you tell your children? You cannot tell them you’re a principled man?’ Our problem in this country is that we always accommodate evil and then you come and tell me it is for the interest of the party?”
Wike insisted that Ayu must fulfill the promise he made to resign when the presidential candidate of the party emerges from the North.
The governor further alleged that Ayu collected N1billion and N100million from a governor, challenging the embattled PDP national chairman to dare refute the corruption allegations against him, saying: “I don’t just come out and speak, let Ayu come out and say he did not collect N1billion. Let me tell you Ayu collected N100million from a governor.
“If not for the love of this party, if we release what we have, Ayu’s children will go to him and deny him,” vowing to spill more allegations if “we are pushed to the wall.”
He alleged that the PDP chairman also received double pay for a single project.
When asked about the N1billion he said Ayu allegedly collected and reminded that there has been no reaction from the national chairman, Wike said: “There cannot be any comment. He (Ayu) cannot say anything. Look, I am the governor of Rivers State and I don’t just come out to speak.
“Let Ayu say he did not collect N1billion. In fact, let me also tell you, Ayu collected N100million naira from a governor that he was going to renovate our democratic institution and then he (Ayu) went back to the PDP NWC and took the same N100million for doing the same work.
“What kind of system is that? I am telling you all these are facts. Let him (Ayu) say no first and I will tell you those he collected money from.
“A leader must be a man of integrity. And I have realised that people find it hard to have that (integrity) lately. You are presenting a man who lacks integrity as chairman of the party and somebody that wants to lead a campaign to take the reigns of government?
“What is the problem with what we are asking of Ayu? We are saying let there be equity, let there be fairness and justice. But if you don’t want it that way, then you are the one causing the crisis in the party and that shows you (Ayu) don’t have leadership skills, because this is the time to show leadership skills on the part of those who are leaders of the party.”
On the money returned by some NWC members, Wike alleged the money was not authorised by the party leadership.
When asked if the money paid to some NWC members was with ulterior motives, Wike said: “Of course. Let me tell you how the money came about. When it was discussed at the National Working Committee (NWC), Ayu said everybody should calm down and that Nigerians are interested, and that Nigerians will bring money to the party.
“I don’t want us to go deeper, because I feel that we are not pushed to the wall yet. If we are pushed to the wall, what the people will hear will be something else.
“Let them show the minutes of the meeting where it was approved. You made over N14billion from PDP primaries and sale of forms and people are saying, ‘look, we are going in for an election.’ Ask them about the election that took place in Ekiti, how much did the party spend?
“There are people who believe Ayu is my man, saying Ayu is protecting me. Look, what can Ayu do to me? What will he do? Can Ayu come and tell Rivers people where or who to vote? He doesn’t have the capacity to do that. So, why am I going to be afraid of him?
“What has Ayu done for me in my life for me to show gratitude? Rather, he should be grateful to me and other people. So, there is no basis for vindictiveness here or when people say you are after him because he is not with you, that is not the issue.”
