By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday picked on each other following comments by Obaseki’s deputy, Philip Shaibu, concerning the crisis rocking the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Shaibu, in a viral video on social media last week, lamented that officials of the PDP were yet to accept those who defected with Obaseki to the party just before the 19 September 2020 governorship election in the State.

But Wike took a swipe at Shaibu for allegedly speaking against the PDP, adding that he had written a letter to the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, demanding disciplinary action against the Edo State deputy governor.

However, in a statement on Monday, Obaseki said Wike’s comment on Shaibu was unfortunate and uncalled for.

But in a swift counter, Wike accused Obaseki of having “a DNA of serial betrayal and ungratefulness”.

The Rivers governor also accused Obaseki of being a politician “who is given to serial betrayal of those who help to advance his political aspiration”.

The object of high profile discord started with comments by Wike on Obaseki’s deputy, Philip Shaibu, concerning the crisis rocking the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Shaibu had, in a viral video on social media last week, lamented that officials of the PDP were yet to ‘accept’ those who defected with the Edo State governor to the party, just before the September 19, 2020 gubernatorial election in the state.

Wike, however, took a swipe at the Edo State deputy governor, Shaibu, for allegedly speaking against the PDP.

He added that he had written a letter to the national chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, demanding disciplinary action against Shaibu.

But in his response in a statement yesterday, Obaseki replied to Wike, saying that his comment on Shaibu was unfortunate and uncalled for.

*The accusation

Wike’s accusation was made at the inauguration of the Community Secondary School, Omuanwa, in Ikwerre local government area of the state, yesterday.

He said he owed the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, an apology for opposing him when he insisted that Obaseki was a “treacherous and ungrateful man.”

Wike added that Oshiomhole was right then, “and has been vindicated given the recent display of ingratitude by Governor Obaseki to the PDP and to those who had helped him to secure his second tenure as governor of Edo State.

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“If you go and check the DNA of Godwin Obaseki, what you’ll see in that DNA is serial betrayal and ungratefulness. Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomhole, who has been vindicated by telling us that we will see the true colour, we’ll see the insincerity, we’ll see the ungratefulness of Godwin Obaseki.

“So, let me apologise to Adams Oshiomhole, and to say you have been vindicated. You were right, we were wrong. I’ve never seen people who are so ungrateful in life. I’ve never seen people who can betray everything in life,” the Rivers State governor added.

Wike also stated that Obaseki is never his match where character matters because he is a consistent, sincere, and forthright team player who had never betrayed any person who had helped him politically.

According to him, the problem in Edo State “stems from Governor Obaseki asking the national leadership of PDP to dissolve Edo PDP executive when the leaders had been elected before he joined the party, and had provided formidable structure for him to win the election”.

The Rivers governor wondered “why Obaseki is unable to bring everybody together and work with them, but instead wants to unleash the illegality of APC in PDP, which is being resisted because, ordinarily, he is a political tenant in PDP”.

Wike’s words: “I’ve invested in the party, Rivers State has invested in the party. We have voted for PDP since 1999 till now. Ask Governor Obaseki, has he done anything for PDP? Has he voted for PDP? The only election he voted for was his own election when we gave him an umbrella. So, who has more stake in PDP?

“I have more stake because I’ve supported PDP always. You’ve never supported PDP, rather it was when your godfather chased you away and you came begging, kneeling down. People came with pressure and we allowed you. Ordinarily, you’re a tenant.”

Wike also clarified that he fought the then-sitting governor in Rivers State (Rotimi Amaechi) to access and take charge of the party structure in the state.

He said it is unfortunate that Obaseki could describe him as a bully now that he is being called to order.

According to him, it is unfathomable that a man who came to him to get PDP’s governorship ticket in 2020 could now turn round to accuse him of being a bully.

*Obaseki’s earlier statement

In an earlier defence, Obaseki criticised Wike, over comments on Shaibu, concerning the crisis rocking the state chapter of PDP.

He said, “If Governor Wike was one who is wont to show respect and courtesy to his colleague-governors, he would have ordinarily reached out to me to express his concerns about the views made by my deputy governor, rather than embarking on this unwarranted public onslaught.”

Obaseki added, “My deputy governor was a former national president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and his comment is representative of the essence of the nation’s youth population, who are inclined to openly speak up and question the status quo.

“His Excellency, Governor Wike should have taken a cue from how the National Chairman of our party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, responded to my deputy’s remarks, as a conscientious leader who can show empathy and consideration.”

According to the Edo State governor, “The concerns expressed by my deputy governor bordered on pertinent issues affecting the PDP in Edo State, which since the September 19th, 2020 elections, has been able to register over 500,000 members; and till date, these new members have not been properly integrated into our party after two years.

“Also, the leaders, executives, and members who came with me into the party have still not been accepted, integrated, or harmonised into the party.

“More worrisome is the fact that old members of Edo PDP, who are open to inclusion and supportive of building a large party, are being vilified and ostracised by a cabal purportedly led by Chief Dan Orbih, who is your perpetual guest in Port Harcourt, and is remotely used to orchestrate the destabilisation of the party in Edo State.

“It is necessary to recall at this point that a political solution gave rise to the emergence of Chief Dan Orbih, first as acting, and then as substantive National Vice Chairman, South-South, of our party when Chief Emma Odidi resigned that position to allow Orbih to ascend.

“It is, therefore, curious why this type of political solution is no longer tenable to resolve the political impasse in Edo State PDP.”