Imo Guber: Wike Explains Why Ihedioha ‘Ran Away’

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the excuse given by former governor Emeka Ihedioha for his withdrawal from the Imo State governorship race.

Ihedioha had withdrawn from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in the state which had only him and the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, as aspirants.

In his notice of withdrawal addressed to the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, Ihedioha said having recently turned 58 years, he reflected on so many things and reached the decision to align with the Imo PDP’s request for a consensus candidate in the election.

But speaking during a media chat in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Wike said Ihedioha ‘chickened out” because he knew he stood no chance of defeating the incumbent Governor Hope Uzodimma.

According to the Rivers governor, Ihedioha had planned to ride on Atiku Abubakar’s shoulders to win the election but withdrew from the race because the PDP presidential candidate lost in the February 25 election.

“Assuming the PDP candidate (Atiku) won, would he (Ihedioha) have withdrawn? When you know that ‘I can’t make it’. These people are looking for those who will push them.

“He knows that he cannot stand Hope Uzodimma, it is not possible. That was why he had to chicken out. Forget about (their claim) that they wanted consensus. You see, people give you reasons that you just buy. He knows that it would difficult for him and as a wise man, he looked for one excuse and ran away.

“The whole hope (of Ihedioha) was that Atiku was going to be president and that would give him leverage to now fight the incumbent. But now, Atiku is not there,” said Wike.