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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied media publication accusing Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike of being responsible for the court order restraining Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki from participating in the PDP primary election ahead of the governorship poll.
Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a PDP governorship aspirant, had filed a suit before a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, requesting the court bar Obaseki from partaking in the party’s primary election on the grounds that he did not purchase PDP form or undergo screening within the time-table schedule.
But a media report had claimed Wike was responsible for the court order.
“They said because an order was obtained from a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, then I am responsible,” he had said in a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim on Tuesday.
“I have had sleepless nights to resolve the issue in Edo state. The Governors of Edo, Adamawa, and Delta states, know what I have done to resolve the issues in Edo state.
“As a result of this senseless accusation, I have pulled out of Edo State settlement. My integrity matters. I have also directed my lawyer to write ThisDay Newspaper on the publication they made against me in their Tuesday, 23rd June, 2020 edition.
“I know the members of the National Working Committee of PDP who connived with ThisDay. They are tax collectors…”
But in a statement on Tuesday, PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan said no member of its NWC sponsored any media publication to castigate and malign the Rivers Governor, describing such publications as handwork of external forces and enemies of the party who are bent on sowing seeds of discord within the party.
“The NWC also wishes to place on record that none of its members has acted like a “tax collector” in whatever meaning the term represents, either in the process leading to the Edo primary election, or any other state,” said Ologbondiyan.
“Our party holds Governor Wike and indeed all our PDP governors, who, of course, have been the pillars of our great party, with utmost respect and had always consulted them on all party affairs.
“PDP appreciates the efforts and sacrifices of our governors and will not allow enemies of our party, who are out to cause disunity in our fold by sponsoring baseless publications against our leaders, to have their way.”
MERIDIAN SPY confirmed the suit against Obaseki has been struck out, after the parties to the suit opted to settle out of court.