Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said immediate past National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus remains expelled and cannot speak for the party.
Wike stated this while responding to Secondus position that no individual has powers to impose a presidential candidate on Rivers electorate.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that Secondus said that Rivers people are too sophisticated to be forced into voting for any unfamiliar political party in the forthcoming presidential election.
Speaking on Saturday at the inauguration of Aluu-Omagwa in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Wike said, “A former member of our party, Uche Secondus, said no one man can impose a presidential candidate on Rivers people. He is not a member of our party. His ward (in Andoni, Rivers) expelled him from the party. The court confirmed it.
“He (Secondus) went to 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.
“So, Mr. Secondus, I have no problem with you being technical adviser to Atiku. But don’t speak on behalf of the PDP, Rivers State because you are not a member of our party.”
Governor Wike alleged that reasons Rivers people can not trust Secondus is because of alleged propensity to abandon projects awarded to him.
He said, “Ask him (Secondus) what happened when the military took over, when the NRC was in power, Ada George was the governor of the State. Ask him, what happened at Ohamini Road. Why was he told to frog jump. Who flogged him? Colonel Akubundu (Rtd) who of course was the organising secretary, flogged him, why? He couldn’t do the project of the Ohamini Road.
“Ask him, from 1999, when Odili became governor, every project Dr. Odili gave to Andoni through him, ask him, which one was commissioned. Every company that the state government would pay money to instead of you to allow the company to do the job, you’ll collect the money. That is why it’s difficult and why we have not been able to commission the Andoni aspect of the road.”