2023: Wike’s men tighten grip on Rivers, Atiku in dilemma

The chances of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar securing votes in Rivers State are growing slimmer.

It was gathered that Atiku is distraught by the fact that party leaders who pitched tent with him against Governor Nyesom Wike, are not pulling their weight as expected.

These include former governor Celestine Omehia, as well as other leaders like Austine Opara, Lee Maeba, and Farah Dagogo.

It was learnt that Wike had grown stronger by developing unique strategies to tighten his grip on the party and take all state structures beyond the reach of Atiku and his men.

His continuous campaign for inclusiveness in the national leadership structure of the party and his portrayal of Atiku; the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa and other Atiku’s men as betrayers, liars, haters of Rivers and divisive leaders, had been received by many Rivers residents across the political divide.

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It was gathered that no campaign for Atiku was ongoing in any part of the state as an attempt to mention the name of the PDP presidential candidate was viewed by many people as an abomination.

It was gathered that Atiku’s pictures had disappeared from all campaign materials of the PDP in the state and anybody found with material projecting Atiku is considered an enemy of Rivers.

Rivers youths across the state including the rural areas daily combed their areas to identify and remove campaign materials in their domains belonging to Atiku and Okowa.

It was found that in the entire state it was unlikely to see any Atiku billboard, posters or other campaign materials unlike in 2019 when Wike supported the Adamawa-born politician.

The recent appointments of 200,000 advisers on polling units and over 300 local government liaison officers by the governor were said to have made any plan by Atiku and his men to penetrate Rivers a herculean task.

Besides, it was observed that all local government chairpersons, ward and unit heads of the PDP had remained loyal to the governor and were backing his political decisions ahead of 2023.

Besides, the perception of the governor as a performer and his use of project inauguration to extract a commitment from folks had made many Rivers communities a no-go area for Atiku’s men.

While campaigns for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Sim Fubara, National and House of Assembly candidates of the party were ongoing with their campaign materials dotting all corners of the state, nothing was being said about Atiku.

All pro-Atiku leaders in Rivers had fled the state and were said to be hiding in Abuja and following Atiku without any plan to return home to campaign for their presidential candidate.