PDP Crisis: You Can’t Be Bigger Than The Party , Sule Lamido Slams Wike

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido has asked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers to abide by all the decisions made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Lamido was reacting to the crisis rocking the opposition PDP following the choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking to THISDAY over the weekend, Lamido warned Wike to stop complaining about his loss at the PDP Presidential primary, stressing that he cannot be bigger than the party.

The former Jigawa governor also advised Wike to respect Atiku’s decision not to pick him as his running mate.

Lamido asked Wike to learn from the former Rivers governor, Peter Odili, who did not get the PDP presidential ticket for the 2007 election.

He said: “A day to the PDP’s presidential convention, which Peter Odili of Rivers State was bound to win and was also bound to win the presidential election, he was stopped by the party which went on to nominate President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who did not even show interest.

“He was promised a vice presidential ticket and yet he was not given. He took everything as the mature man he is.

“Let him learn from his former boss, Peter Odili. He will tell him a story that is so touching because I have never seen a person who was cheated on and who was so denied as Peter Odili.

“The man is so humble, so tolerant. I mean he is everything good. Wike offered himself to be elected. I came from the old order that respects political party culture. His candidate for the governorship in Rivers state was imposed by him.

“Others wanted to be governor; have they reconciled? The guy he imposed won the governorship ticket at the congress. Who offended Wike? Did the convention offend Wike? How? There is no reconciliation. He is a party man and after the convention, he said the process was very credible. He said so.”

Osinbajo, Amaechi Example
Lamido urged the Rivers governor to emulate Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi, who both lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.

He advised Wike to show maturity like the three APC chieftains because their party has chosen its presidential candidate, saying that the PDP is not a one-man party.

“Look at the APC, Vice-President Osinbajo was humiliated; the senate president was also humiliated and even his countryman, Amaechi was given the same treatment; they took it as mature men and did not go about complaining as Wike is doing. This is called maturity.

Do you know why? This is because the party is supreme. You cannot be bigger than your party. Party is organic. The convention has come and gone.”

“Osinbajo, Lawan and Amaechi have shown maturity because their party has spoken. If Wike is in the APC will he be talking and behaving as he is doing now?

“When I say that the party is supreme, I mean that the PDP is an organic party. Many people defected to the APC in 2015, but the PDP remained strong because it is organic with root structures; it is not a one-man party.”

“Wike should show maturity as the matter is no longer between him and Atiku. Atiku is now the PDP candidate; whatever he is doing now is not a fight against Atiku but the party. The party made him.”