'Wike Must Know That He Is A Dictator' - Umahi

The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has described the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, as a "dictator".

This was in response to Wike's remarks on the reason why Umahi defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike had claimed that what had necessitated Umahi's defection was his ambition to run for the presidency in the 2023 presidential election.

Wike had said, “My friend, Umahi, wants to be president. There is no problem about that. You have a right to be president. Nobody can stop you.  You are educated. You have been a governor for two terms, so you are qualified to say I want to be president of Nigeria. But that does not mean that you have to blackmail your party, and tell lies to the people you are leaving the party because of the injustice meted against the south-east. "

Responding to Wike's comment, Umahi, in an interview with Arise TV, said, “I refused to join issues with Wike because he is my friend. But Wike must know that he is a dictator. Wike must know that one person cannot be called a crowd. Wike must know that a lot of governors in PDP are not very happy with him. He remote-controls the party,” the Ebonyi governor said.

READ ALSO: 'I Can't Work With Umahi', Ebonyi APC Spokesperson Quit Position

“He (Wike) said that I made my brother the vice-chairman. I fund the PDP south-east from A to Z. And he has forgotten that he singlehandedly made Secondus the (PDP) chairman. He has forgotten that he wanted to impose one of his own as minority leader of the house.

“There is nothing that happens in PDP without his authorisation. He once said that PDP national working committee members are beggars and bribe-takers. I have asked him that let’s not take on ourselves or else it will be very dangerous.

“So, let’s face the party. The party does not belong to him. And this is by no means personal, and he is demonstrating the dictatorial tendencies in him by taking on me, a fellow governor. And that is very shameful.

“APC does more consultation. Anybody can contravene this that PDP working committee is being remote-controlled and that is the truth and it is very dangerous and all the governors know that.

“You (Wike) cannot stay in your state and you will be remote-controlling what happens in other states. Unless that changes, you will see a lot of governors leaving the party.”