The governor of River state, Nyesom Wike, has talked about Atiku Abubakar.
Wike says he was drinking a 40-year-old whiskey when Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led protesters to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in protest.
Abubakar and Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the PDP, led other leaders of the party to protest alleged irregularities that marred the conduct of the presidential election.
The country’s main opposition party had asked that results collated from the exercise be cancelled and elections be redone in areas that had problems.
Speaking at an event, Wike mocked his party members referring to them as a “students’ union” chanting “aluta continua”.
“What is in us is greater than what is in them,” the governor said in a mix of English and pidgin.
“As they were protesting, I just sat down and I took one 40-year-old whiskey. I called some of my friends ‘o boy, sit down. Make una sit down open 40 years.
“Then I put on television, see as dem dey do marching (Mimics). They have become labour union, they have become students union ‘all we are saying…’ chai. You are saying what? What are you saying?
“That you have taken over the role of students’ union, aluta continua. That is what the party has become, aluta continua.”
GENESIS OF THE RIFT
The rift between Wike and the party began after he failed to secure the presidential ticket of the PDP.
As a precondition for resolving the rift, Wike and his allies demanded that Ayu step down as national chairman of the party.
But Ayu responded, saying those who want him out of office “are children”.