Senator Dino Melaye, a former senator representing Kogi West, has stated that Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike campaigned to become the running mate of Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar (PDP).
Melaye, speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, asserted that Wike called him 19 times in two hours to lobby for the position of Atiku’s running colleague.
Wike initially ran for the PDP’s presidential nomination in the February 25 election but lost to Atiku, who chose Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta state, as his running mate.
Wike stated on Tuesday that Melaye, who is contending for the PDP’s governorship nomination in Kogi, lacks the qualifications to be governor.
Nigerians must not be duped. Wike does not possess even one per cent of the integrity and fairness for which he is always advocating. “He will tell you that he is fighting because he wants a southern presidency, but this is a falsehood,” Melaye said.
Wike desired to be Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate. He (Wike) called me 19 times in two hours when Atiku was about to announce his vice-presidential candidate, doing everything in his power to convince Atiku to name him as his running mate. “There are witnesses,”
Melaye added that Wike’s opposition to him stemmed from his refusal to back his “myopic” presidential ambition.
“Wike was my greatest benefactor; he donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to my cause. He not only supported my primaries but also provided his private jet to drop me off in Kogi on the day of the primary election and repeatedly phoned me afterwards,” he added.
“This indicates that Wike saw something in me in 2019 for him to support me. He knew I was gubernatorial material and qualified to serve as governor, hence his investment and support.
“So, what transpired between 2019 and 2023 that he now claims I am unfit to be a governor — someone you financially and otherwise supported? But all of a sudden, because I am not a bootlicker and because I refused to participate in your extremely myopic and intellectually stagnant presidential ambition, you view me as unfit and begin using profane language against me.
