The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said he declined an offer presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu made for him to run for Senate in 2023.
He said Tinubu made the offer after he lost the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Rivers governor made the disclosure during a media chat with journalists in Port-Harcourt, while addressing some of the issues that played out in the aftermath of the PDP presidential primaries.
“Even after the whole thing, Tinubu said ‘come and go for Senate’ and I said ‘No, I wont do that. I’ve already made a commitment that the Senate should be zoned to this area because they’ve never had it before,'” Wike said.
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Meanwhile, Wike accused the National Chairman of PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu of manipulating the presidential primaries of the party.
He disclosed that he and his allies would have prevented the convention from holding but for their love for the party.
According to him, Ayu conducted himself in a way that showed he worked for the eventual winner, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to the detriment of other candidates.
The governor alleged that Ayu called and urged several presidential aspirants to step down for Atiku during the convention.
“He was calling aspirants to withdraw for Atiku. I was there, Saraki and others were there.
“He manipulated the delegates. There was nothing Ayu did not do to ensure Wike didn’t emerge,” Wike said.
He added, “Meetings upon meetings were going. Pressures were being mounted on people to step down.
“Even on the night of the convention meetings were going on. That is why we started our convention late.
“Some of the retired generals were involved. Some of the meetings were held in their houses. There is nothing they didn’t do for me to step down.
“Those who know me, know that I would have stopped the convention, even if heaven falls.”