Wike warns Obaseki that he will smoke him out if he keeps claiming they are equal in PDP

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has warned his Edo State counterpart Godwin Obaseki to stop trying to claim they are equals or he will smoke him out and expose him for the ungrateful person he is.

In a racketing up of the political temperature ahead of next year's general elections, the two governors appear to have been caught up in a bitter fight for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Things got off to a heated start this morning Governor Obaseki had warned his Rivers State counterpart not to cause disruption in the PDP as all members are equal under the platform.

Issuing his warning, Governor Obaseki was responding to Governor Wike’s outburst over the Edo State deputy governor Philip Shaibu, after he raised concerns about how they were being treated in PDP following their defection to the party. Last year, Governor Obaseki and Mr Shaibu defected to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC) after falling out with the party chairman Adams Oshiomhole.

However, in response, Governor Wike told Governor Obaseki that they are not on the same level when it comes to party politics. This was after Governor Obaseki warned him not to cause disruption in the PDP as the party belongs to all members and no member can claim ownership of it.

Governor Obaseki said:  “It clearly amounts to delusion of grandeur for any one man to nurse the idea that he owns or has more stake in the PDP and everyone should pander to him. We are all equal stakeholders in the party and an aggregate of the ideas, opinions and contributions of all leaders and members should form the position of the party and not the view of one individual or a select few.”

However, in his response, Governor Wike described Governor Obaseki as a serial betrayer and an ungrateful person, adding that he has more stake than the Edo governor in PDP. In addition, Governor Wike maintained that he had contributed to the fortune of the party more than Governor Obaseki.

Governor Wike said: “I am not in the class of Obaseki, never. We are not the same, we can’t be the same. I was the director general of his campaign, I went there for three days and I stayed there without having my bath. I have never seen somebody like that in my life – a serial betrayer.

“Let me tell you Obaseki, I know your cohorts and I will smoke all of you out. This is not the Benin artefact that you were challenging the Oba of Benin, this is politics. Obaseki, I have more stake in PDP than you. I have fought for this party, mention one thing that you have done for the PDP.”

“If you check the DNA of Obaseki, what you will see in that DNA is betrayal, serial betrayal, and ungratefulness. Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomhole who has been vindicated by telling us that we will see the true colour, the insincerity, the ungratefulness of Governor Obaseki.

“We have voted for PDP since 1999 till now. Ask Governor Obaseki if he has done anything for PDP or voted for PDP. The only election he voted was his own election, where we gave him an umbrella.”