Prince Kassim Afegbua, a former Commissioner for Information in Edo state on Saturday berated Senator Dino Melaye for describing Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike as a man lacking integrity by not supporting Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP G-5 ked by Wike had vowed not to support Atiku in the presidential election until Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP National Chairman resigns.
Melaye, who is one of the spokespersons of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council had on his Twitter handle posted a video of Governor Wike where he promised to support whoever wins the PDP presidential primary.
He challenged to Wike to honour his vow by supporting Atiku Abubakar, the winner of the primary in the presidential election.
“Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, promising to support anyone who wins PDP presidential primary . This integrity statement is now facing an integrity test. Mr Governor, please honour your vow that was made before God and man because we shall all account for all vows made” Melaye wrote.
Speaking with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Afegbua, one of the staunch loyalists of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said Melaye should stop crying over Wike as the Atiku camp already boasted that they can win the election without him.
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He said ” Stop crying Dino. I thought you all said Wike is inconsequential and Atiku can win without him. Dino Melaye cannot be serious with his assertion. It is one thing for Governor Wike to make a promise, it is another for the process to meet with the conditionalities that would make that promise a reality. You cannot deliberately cultivate injustice and expect to reap justice”.Recalling what transpired during the primaries, Afegbua said “During the primaries, it was politically, legally and morally wrong for Governor Tambuwal to stand up twice to speak, during which time he decided to step down for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. When Governor Tambuwal was given opportunity to address the delegates as one of the aspirants, he ought to have made his position known to all”.
“After that process was concluded, Governor Tambuwal stood again to speak against the normative order of the primaries. That was clear abuse of process. It was not provided for in the guidelines of the election. It was an action that unveiled the conspiracy of the entire primary election, and Governor Wike would not tolerate such kind of conspiracy”.
“What came out of the primaries therefore was not a product of justice, equity and fairness. It was a product of conspiracy, manipulation, gerrymandering and orchestrated political coup, that rubbished the whole essence of the primaries”.
“Dino Melaye knows the truth, he’s just caressing the situation with caution because he knows what transpired. It is wrong, utterly wrong, for Atiku Abubakar to attempt to alter the seamless transition that should happen in the nation’s political algorithm, after President Buhari’s tenure. That is the height of desperation”.