The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Iyorchia Ayu has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of instituting a suit against Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP, in Nyesom Wike’s name, declaring it “criminal.”
He stated this on Friday, at the International Commemoration of United Nations International Youths Day 2022 celebration of the PDP in Abuja, shortly after Wike had denied his link to the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, filed on June 6, 2022, at the Federal High court, Abuja.
According to the charge, the case comes up for hearing on 17 August, 2022, with prayers for the nullification of Atiku as the presidential candidate of the PDP with a consequential order that Wike is issued a certificate of return as the party’s presidential candidate.
However, the Rivers State governor (Wike), which the suit claimed as plaintiff, along with one other party chieftain has disowned the suit.
Wike on Friday, denied that he filed any suit of such, as the window for that had elapsed.
Speaking while commissioning a new parliament building in Port Harcourt, Wike said, “People have called me that I went to court against Atiku Abubakar.
“I want to state categorically that I didn’t go to court. I just want to say it for Nigerians to know. I have kept quiet. I am busy with delivering the dividends of democracy. If they lose election, nobody should call my name. I have told the candidate. If I wanted to go to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks.
“It is the candidate’s group that are doing all these things. Let the world hear. They are the ones plotting all these things, thinking they will spoil my name. We are supposed to be talking about winning election.”
Also, Ayu who re-echoed Wike’s stance said, “He (Wike) never took the party to court. It’s APC that puts the case. The first man in that case is a coordinator for the presidential candidate of the APC.
“We know very well that they don’t believe they can win any election. They are trying to divide you. Don’t let any APC manipulation divide you. They are the one sponsoring stories of crisis in the PDP.
“There is no crisis in PDP. PDP has no crisis. It’s a united political party. Anybody who thinks he can come and do crisis, they should wait for us next year February, we will show them that they are the ones who have a crisis.
“So, I want to make it clear because people will start saying that Wike took the party to court. Wike is a strong party man and I’m happy he came out immediately and denied that he never took the party to court.
“And very soon, it will be revealed that the coordinator of the Presidential candidate of the APC was the one that put Wike’s name. And that is a criminal thing.”
