How Atiku embarrassed President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 – Wike

Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike has recounted how Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, embarrassed former President Goodluck Jonathan, over the PDP presidential ticket, in 2015.

Wike, who has become the most formidable hurdle to Atiku’s presidential aspiration, said the former vice president did not accept President Jonathan’s pleas nor support his re-election bid in 2015.

The Rivers governor spoke on Tuesday when Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, on the invitation of Wike, commissioned the Akpabu-Itu-Umudiogha Road in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Wike, Jonathan travelled to the Dorchester Hotel in London, in 2015, to meet with Atiku but Atiku “embarrassed” Jonathan, asking him to relinquish his (Jonathan’s) ticket to him.

Wike, who came second in the PDP presidential primary won by Atiku, in May, however said he is not asking Atiku to step down for him as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election. 

READ: I will fight for democracy inside PDP – Wike

He said his demand is that Atiku should ensure the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as PDP national chairman to be replaced by a southerner.

“We forget history. In 2015 when Jonathan as a sitting President, I am not talking as a presidential candidate but as a sitting President, when he had won his primary, Jonathan went to London to Dorchester Hotel, he went to plead with Atiku Abubakar to come back to the party and support him.

“You know the condition he (Atiku) gave Jonathan? He should relinquish his ticket not to run as the President of Nigeria. That was the presidential candidate of a ruling party. He gave him a condition, telling him to relinquish that ticket.

“Today, we are not saying the presidential candidate should relinquish his ticket; we are not being selfish, we are saying since you are now the presidential candidate, let our people take chairmanship,” he said.

Meanwhile, Atiku and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, had visited Jonathan at his Abuja residence on November 17, to resolve the crisis within the PDP but nothing has been heard of the former President.

Wike and four other PDP governors known as the G5 or the Integrity Group want Benue-born Ayu to step down for a southerner over what they called the dominance of the north within the party.