2023: ‘You Have No Character’ – Wike Hits Dogara For Endorsing Atiku

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has said former Speaker of the House of Representatives,Yakubu Dogara, lacks good character for endorsing the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar for the presidency.

Wike who was speaking on Monday at the flag-off of Indorama-Agbonchia-Ogale-Ebubu East/West link road, wondered why Dogara would change his position of rooting for a president of southern extraction when he was a promoter.

The governor took exception to the endorsement following the crisis in the PDP, which forced him and four other governors who are members of the Integrity Group, to withdraw from the PDP presidential campaign council activities.

Wike and his group have been demanding for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP National Chairman since he comes from the same region with Atiku.

He has blocked Atiku from campaigning in Rivers State with the supporters of the former Vice President also prevented from carrying out any rally without approval.

The posters of the PDP candidate have also been stopped from being pasted and circulated in the state.

Dogara, who also parted ways with former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and divided the Northern Christian Leaders in the All Progressives Congress, APC, last Friday, announced the endorsement of Atiku.

Meanwhile, the Lawal-led camp had endorsed Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party before Dogara’s camp made their announcement, after they rejected the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.

The presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, are both Muslims.

But against the backdrop of the fact that president Muhammadu Buhari of the APC is from the North, Wike alongside some socio-political groups had demanded power shift to the south.

Dogara had also campaigned for power shift to the South and was rumoured to have indicated interest to be chosen as the running mate of the APC before Tinubu chose Shettima.

The Bauchi-born lawmaker quickly dissociated himself from the ticket but his endorsement of another northerner is what has angered Wike who described the former Speaker in uncomplimentary terms.

Wike said, “What I don’t like in life is people that don’t have character. I can’t stand it. At the appropriate time, I would challenge them to a debate.

“Ask Dogara: ‘what made you leave PDP?’ Dogara was to see me. Unknown to me, he gave me an excuse and I was watching Dogara on TV being received by President Muhammadu Buhari that he has gone to APC.

“I said ‘Okay, no problem’. The same Dogara said the presidency should be zoned to southern Nigeria for there to be peace. Now, I hear about the same Dogara (backing Atiku from the north). Is that how you do things? Can’t you say something and stand by it?”

The former Speaker was on Sunday compensated with his appointment into the PDP PCC for endorsing Atiku.