By our correspondent
Facts have emerged as to why the governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike lost the presidential ticket of the main opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contrary to earlier projections and exit polls.
Wike polled a total of 237 votes in the delegate election which placed him in second place to the eventual winner and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Sources privy to what transpired in the run-up to the election told Nigerian Pilot that Gov Wike was coasting to victory until the Northern Elders allegedly led by a retired National Security Adviser summoned a meeting of the aspirants from the geo-political North.
The aspirants who allegedly attended the said meeting include Atiku Abubakar, Bala Mohammed, Aminu Tambuwal and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
At the meeting they were said to have been told pointedly that they had to step down and throw their support to Atiku Abubakar, noting that he stood the best chance to clinch the ticket for the North.
It was learnt that only Hayatu-Deen allegedly accepted to step down for Atiku, while the governor of Bauchi state, Bala Mohammed, who is also from the North East was said to have stood his ground and insisted that he would run no matter the outcome.
Nigerian Pilot further learnt that the Elders allegedly persuaded the governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, who had control of most of the delegates from the North West, especially Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Katsina states to withdraw from the contest and direct his supporters to rather vote for Atiku Abubakar.
This agreement, the sources said, was reached late on Saturday morning.
The votes from these states, which Tambuwal should have won if it was projected, would have ensured that Wike maintained the lead. With the withdrawal of Tambuwal from the race his votes added to that of Atiku tilted the balance in favour of the former Vice President.
It was also learnt that Gov Wike’s refusal to mend fences with his brother governors of Delta and Edo states were great minuses to his aspiration.
Wike did not visit Delta state to woo the delegates to vote for him. In spite of alleged entreaties that he should visit Gov Ifeanyi Okowa in Asaba and seek his support, he was said to have foreclosed that visit.
It was learnt that the same scenario played out in Edo state as he did not visit Gov Godwin Obaseki to seek the support of the delegates from the state. Rather, he alleged to have worked with the State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih. Though some of the delegates from Edo state voted for him, it is doubtful if that was the case with the delegates from Delta state.
Nigerian Pilot had it on authority that the bulk of the votes Wike got were from the North Central geo-political zone that was anchored for him by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state.
