Onyedi Igwe, Port Harcourt
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has denied the claim in a birsl video suggesting that he had plans to dump the Peoples Democratic Party.
Wike who urged members of the public to ignore the video described the video as manipulated.
He said it was part of an interview he granted in June 2021 when his Ebonyi State counterpart, Dave Umahi, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Rivers Governor said in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, that the excerpt of the interview was deliberately manipulated and doctored by unscrupulous persons for purposes of mischief.
The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a manipulated video circulating on social media, purporting that the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike intends to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“It will be recalled that in June 2021, Governor Wike was interviewed on Arise Television, following the defection of Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
“During the interview, Governor Wike while reacting to reason given by Ebonyi State governor for his defection, dismissed it as untenable.
“The excerpt of the interview in circulation has been deliberately manipulated by some desperate and unscrupulous persons with obnoxious agenda. The intent of the video being circulated is to mislead the unsuspecting public, particularly members of the PDP. We, hereby urge the public to disregard the manipulated video.
“Governor Wike has repeatedly maintained that he will never under any circumstances defect from the PDP, which has offered him the platform to excel in his political career.
“We urge the public to ignore the distorted video. Those behind it are desperately wicked and intend to mislead the public. Governor Wike remains a faithful, commited member of the PDP and will never leave it for cancerous APC.”
There are widespread media reports linking the Rivers Governor as the running mate to the Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
But the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, in his reaction to the purported selection of Wike by the party’s Selection Committee attributed it to rumour.
According to him, the National Working Committee is still consulting in order to consider the best vice presidential material for the party in the 2023 elections.
.