The spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council (PDP PCC) and November 2023 governorship aspirant in Kogi State, Dino Melaye has said that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike sponsored his governorship campaigns in 2015.
Mr Melaye, a former senator, said it was contradictory for Mr Wike who funded his 2019 governorship campaign to now say in 2023 that he is not fit to be the governor of Kogi State.
“For Christ’s sake, Dino does not have what it takes to be a governor at all. It is not by coming to act in drama on television. We are talking about governance of a state, we are not talking about drama for Christ’s sake,” Mr Wike said on Tuesday during a media chat in Port Harcourt.
“Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking?” the governor added.
Speaking on Arise television on Tuesday – a few hours after Mr Wike’s media chat – Mr Melaye said: “When I ran for governorship in 2019, Mr Wike was my biggest sponsor, my biggest supporter to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“He supported my primaries. He did not just support my primaries, Mr Wike provided his private jet to drop me at Kogi airstrip on the day of my primary and was calling me every minute to find out where are we, are we succeeded, meaning that Wike saw something in me in 2019 when he supported me, he knew I was fit to be governor hence his investment as the case may be. So what now happens between 2019 and 2023 that he’s now saying that I am not fit to be a governor?
Continuing, Mr Melaye said: “Somebody you had spent your money on. Somebody you supported materially and otherwise but suddenly because I’m not a bootlicker because I refused to participate in your very myopic and intellectually stagnant presidential ambition you now see me as one not fit for the governorship.”
Governor Wike’s spokesperson, Kelvin Ebiri, did not respond to requests for comments on the allegation that the governor sponsored Mr Melaye’s 2015 governorship campaign.
Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that giving the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State to Dino Melaye is “dead on arrival” as, according to him, Mr Melaye does not have what it takes to be a governor.
Governor Wike questioned why Kogi people would vote for a candidate like Dino? Stressing that the PDP would be doomed if it gives the governorship ticket of Mr Melaye and vowed not to campaign for PDP if that happens.
“Does it mean now that if the PDP wants to win the election, it would give the ticket to Dino and you say tomorrow that you were rigged when you have already killed yourself?” Mr Wike said.
Speaking further Mr Wike recalled how Bukola Saraki, a former president of the Nigerian Senate brought Mr Melaye to him when the former Kogi senator first contested for governorship in 2019.
On Atiku’s connection, Dino Melaye dismissed Governor Wike’s allegation that delegate lists were being manipulated to favour him.
He said those who are accusing Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of PDP of “forcing” him on Kogi people were being unfair to him (Melaye).
“We have to completely keep Atiku out of this. I became a member of the House of Representatives, did Atiku influence that? I’ve been elected twice to the Senate, Atiku didn’t influence any primaries but those who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it will bring a lot of insinuations and all that.”
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