By METROWATCH
Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike has lamented what he claims as the betrayal of Engr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama despite painfully sacrificing his 2020 governorship aspiration to allow Governor Godwin Obaseki win re-election.
Speaking at a New Year banquet in Port-Harcourt, Wike alleged that he along with several other governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP sat for 12 straight hours to persuade Ogbeide-Ihama to step down his governorship aspiration despite being the frontrunner to pick the 2020 ticket.
According to him as a condition for stepping down, promises were made to Ogbeide-Ihama and the Dan Orbih led leadership of the party among which was the nomination of four commissioners.
However, Wike lamented that none of the agreements reached between Obaseki and the PDP leadership of the party was fulfilled.
He spoke against the background of growing sentiments by party leaders for Ogbeide-Ihama to pick the 2024 ticket of the PDP.
Wike said: “When the heat was on in Edo State, this young man (Ogbeide-Ihama) was the frontrunner for the governorship election.
“PDP governors came, they spoke to me, we met in Government House, Port Harcourt from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am the next day.
“When you don’t want to do your own part you bring blackmail and propaganda. This young man…I told him, we should tell Orbih, withdraw, don’t run for this governorship again.
“I said don’t run. We then agreed what will be given to their group. He spent so-so amount of money, give them four commissioners, but not one was kept. Not one was kept.
“And then the next you will see, blackmail, Wike wants to control this, Wike wants to control that, but you didn’t know Wike wants to control when you came to Government House Port Harcourt to sit from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am.”
Ogbeide-Ihama following his decision to step down for Obaseki became his campaign coordinator for Oredo Federal Constituency and his chief agent at the INEC Collation Centre in the election.
