The Civil Liberty Organisation in Rivers State has commended the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the running mate to the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in 2023, saying that Nigeria will collapse if Governor Nyesom Wike is allowed to deputize Atiku.
The state Chairman of the group, Clifford Solomon told our correspondent that since Wike does not see Atiku as someone who can be his boss, the presidency will keep boiling if Atiku wins in 2023 with Wike as vice.
The bitter experience Atiku once had with former President Olusegun Obasanjo when the duo were ruling the country as president and vice president from 1999 to 2007 might repeat if Wike was picked to deputize Atiku.
Atiku said his quarrel with Obasanjo started when his former boss asked him to support his third term bid which he, Atiku rejected.
He quoted Obasanjo as saying, “I left power twenty years ago as Nigeria’s military head of state and I left Mubarak in office, I left Mugabe in office, I left Eyadema in office, I left Umar Bongo, and even Paul Biya and I came back and they were still in power, and I just did eight years and you are asking me to go; why?”
And I, Atiku responded to him by telling him that Nigeria is not Libya, not Egypt, not Cameroun, and not Togo; I said to Obasanjo that he must leave office after two terms.
Before Obasanjo forgave Atiku in 2018, he had publicly vowed not to forgive Atiku, adding that If he supports Atiku for anything, God will not forgive him (Obasanjo).
Obasanjo further insisted that Atiku can never enjoy his support in anything.
The state CLO chairman said though Wike had tried in fighting for the growth of PDP but he cannot work with Atiku as his vice because both of them don’t share the same views.
“If PDP wins, Atiku and Wike’s presidency will be like Obasanjo and Atiku’s presidency which can collapse the country and Atiku wouldn’t want to have such person as his vice president,” Solomon said.
