The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has revealed why the former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, withdrew his governorship ambition in his state.
While addressing newsmen on Tuesday April 11 in Port Harcourt, the capital of the state, Wike dismissed the reason given by the former Governor for withdrawing his governorship ambition in the state.
He said the former Governor was depending on the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in order to win the governorship election.
He added that he withdrew his governorship ambition because Atiku did not equally win his election.
He said Ihedioha has thought he would win the election with the influence of Atiku from the federal level, if Atiku had won.
He said Ihedioha does not have what it takes and the chance to defeat the incumbent Governor of the state, Hope Uzodimma.
He said: “Assuming the PDP candidate (Atiku) won, would he (Ihedioha) have withdrawn?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”
The Informant247 earlier reported that Ihedioha withdrew from the governorship primary of the PDP in the state.
The Informant247 recalls that Ihedioha was successfully screened and cleared a few days ago by the party ahead of the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The former deputy speaker of House of Representatives has informed the leadership of the party of his decision to back off of the guber race.
The former federal lawmaker in a letter dated March 27, 2023, said he sacrificed his ambition for the party to come up with a consensus candidate.
He had a few weeks ago said his party would come victorious in the state.
He was in January 2020 sacked by the Supreme Court after spending close to seven months in office.