‘One Uche Secondus’ can’t speak for Rivers PDP — Wike

‘One Uche Secondus’ can’t speak for Rivers PDP — Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has faulted a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, that the people of Rivers State cannot have a candidate imposed on them for next year’s presidential election.

Wike replied Secondus on Saturday at the inauguration of the Aluu-Omagwa Link Road on the presidential poll.

The event was held at Omuagubia playground by Cross Junction, Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government Area.

The Governor said: “I read the newspaper this morning where a former member of our party, one Uche Secondus, said that no one man can impose a presidential candidate on Rivers people.

“He is not a member of our party.

“His ward expelled him from the party.

“The court confirmed it.

“He went to the Court of Appeal, he lost.

“He went to Supreme Court, the matter is coming up on October 23, 2023.

“I told him, you will not be National Chairman to conduct the convention.

“Did he conduct it?

“Was he at the National Convention?

“Up until now, you are not a member of our party.

“And in any case, I never said I was going to impose my candidate on Rivers people.

“I said I was going to tell Rivers people who I am going to support.

“Who I am going to campaign for.

“But don’t blame them.

“When you didn’t finish secondary school, you will not understand the grammar.”

Wike says he has no problem with Secondus, who is a Technical Adviser to the presidential candidate of the PDP for the 2023 polls, Atiku Abubakar, adding that the people of Rivers State would listen to him more than to the former National Chairman.

He said: “So, Mr Secondus, I have no problem with you being a Technical Adviser to Atiku.

“But don’t speak on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party, Rivers State because you are not a member of our party.”

He said it was not surprising that Secondus, beclouded by his half education, preferred a poorly educated candidate, Senator Lee Maeba, to have emerged as Senator over Senator Magnus Abe, a more educated Rivers State son.

He recalled how Secondus and those he called his cohorts, now christened Abuja Rivers politicians, had always tried to circumvent his political intentions, but failed.

The governor said he has no apology for unsettling the so-called Abuja politicians when the party structure was taken over by him in 2013, while beating them into joining with him because there was no other choice left for them.

Wike said: “What most of you didn’t know is that all these people who run away to Abuja, they’ve never worked with us.

“I led the team that kicked them out of office in 2007.

“Yes, I have no apology for that.

“In 2014, in spite of the fact I was the one who fought for the structure of the party, most of them sabotaged me at the back to run for governor against me.

“When they saw there was no hope, there was nothing else for them to do, they had no choice but to come and join us.”

Governor Wike observed that in their usual manner, they regrouped against him and clandestinely supported one of them to become the governorship flag bearer of the PDP in the state for the 2023 general election, but were frustrated.