April 11, (THEWILL) – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed Senator Dino Melaye’s governorship ambition, saying the two-time member of the National Assembly lacks the capacity to win the Kogi governorship election.
Wike spoke on Tuesday, during a media chat with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
He warned that if the PDP gives the ticket to the former Kogi West lawmaker, the party is doomed to lose the exercise.
According to Wike, the mere fact that someone is from a place does not equate to electoral success if such a person contests an election.
He said, “When you give Dino that ticket, you know he won’t win in Kogi State. Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking?
“Dino does not have what it takes for crying out loud. He knows me very well. He does not have what it takes to be a governor.
“Does it mean now that if the PDP wants to win the election, it would give the ticket to Dino and you say tomorrow that you were rigged when you have already killed yourself?
“Are we saying that we want to win an election or just have a candidate?”
Asked what would happen if Melaye eventually wins the PDP ticket for the Kogi governorship race, Wike said he won’t campaign for the PDP if the party gives its governorship ticket to Senator Melaye.
He said, “Do you need to ask me that kind of question? Are you not aware that I would not do that?”
He alleged that the leadership of the PDP was trying to “manipulate” the process in favour of Melaye.
“Why are you trying to manipulate this in favour of one aspirant?” Wike queried.
However, in a swift response, Dino Melaye said the Rivers State Governor was suffering from a psychotic disorder.
Melaye said Wike has nothing against him save for the fact he didn’t support his selfish tendencies in the PDP.
He said, “For the Kogi governorship race, I have contested before in 2019. Wike supported me with a private jet because I was qualified then. But now Wike couldn’t understand why I should be the next Governor of Kogi State in 2024 because he falsely sees himself as a godfather outside Rivers State, which is a sign of psychotic disorder.
“My credentials are clear – I am not corrupt, no anti-corruption agency is looking for me. I was a two-time member of the National Assembly, I served my people diligently and attracted developments to my constituency and senatorial district respectively. After May 29, we will get to know whether Wike is wanted or not.
“What is even the worth of Wike’s support? The answer is zero or total failure. In the just concluded 2023 general election, he wasted Rivers State Government money in Cross Rivers State to install a governor for them but his candidate, Senator Sandy Onor, failed woefully.
“Similarly, he embarked on the same misadventure in Akwa Ibom State, his candidate, Senator Bassey Akpan, lost to the PDP candidate.
“Also, his closest friend in the G5 misadventure, Samuel Ortom, couldn’t win a senatorial election despite the amount of Rivers money misappropriated into the venture. So, Wike should steer clear of Kogi politics!”
