THE Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, says the people of Rivers State will vote overwhelmingly for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in next week’s election.
Tambuwal stated this on Wednesday when he and other PDP members paid a condolence visit to Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State at his hometown in Sampou over the death of his father.
Diri, who recently lost his father, had suspended the activities to celebrate the third anniversary of his administration.
The Sokoto governor and his Bauchi State counterpart were among other high-ranking members of the PDP who formed part of the delegation that visited Governor Diri.
After signing the condolence register and sympathising with their colleague, they spoke to journalists on issues regarding the party’s presidential campaign in Rivers State.
Aside from the governors, others who paid a condolence visit to Diri included members of the PDP presidential team, heads of military formations in the state, traditional rulers from Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA.
Others in attendance were the representative of Nembe Divisional Council of Chiefs, members of the judiciary led by acting Chief Judge, Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye, and permanent secretaries in the State Civil Service.
Tambuwal’s optimism is shared by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Oladimeji Fabiyi, who expressed his belief that Governor Nyesom Wike would work for Atiku Abubakar’s victory in this month’s presidential election.
Atiku and Wike have been at loggerheads since the PDP presidential primary which the Rivers State Governor lost to the former vice president.
Wike and his allies called the G5 or Integrity Group claim the election was not fair and are asking for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu who is from the same region as Atiku.
While the Rivers Governor and his allies have not campaigned for Atiku, Fabiyi is optimistic that Wike will work for the PDP presidential candidate.
The governor however told supporters on the campaign trail in Rivers that the G5 is not running out of steam, adding that the group would act out its plan in the February 25 presidential election.
Amid controversy over the cancellation of the presidential rally of Atiku in Rivers, the governor said the PDP at the centre has never loved the state in the first place.
He said the excuse of insecurity tendered by Atiku’s team for the cancellation of the rally is not tenable, arguing that the presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso both campaigned in Rivers and were not attacked.