As soon as he arrived from Spain on Monday at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State governor, Nyesome Wike, warned that if the claim that Atiku had made a divisive speech on his visit to Kaduna is accurate, such act “threatens the unity of Nigeria at a time when efforts should be focused on fostering a sense of belonging for every Nigerian.” He stated that the PDP presidential flag bearer should apologize to Nigerians if he really made such statement.
However, speaking on the Tuesday episode of Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Bwala, a spokesman for the Atiku campaign team asserted that Wike is the one who should apologize to Nigerians and the party.
“I’m sure that when that comment was made Governor Wike was watching Real Madrid vs Barcelona. That was when that thing happened.
“And his Real Madrid team won but it does not mean that what he said was correct. He needs to apologise to the party first because if this thing would have happened in his state where a member of a party and stakeholder just goes to the air and starts talking, it would turn out as insubordination.
“One thing about politics is that the way you are demanding it at the state level you have to also obey it at the national level. As an aggrieved member of the party, what Wike will keep saying until he changes his mind will not come to me as a surprise or even to the Niger people. Because he has in recent times based on his decision been saying things that suggest he does not agree with what we’re doing.
“He had said things worse than this. I don’t think Atiku has anything to apologize to the Nigerian people because the context has been given by Paul Ibe, his media man. We have also responded to various questions from the press …I do not think there’s any basis for apology.”
