The Southern Youth Alliance (SOYA) has condemned Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike’s attacks on former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar
Atiku had while fielding questions from journalists shortly after a meeting with former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday, expressed confidence in his chances of picking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Wike in his reaction on Sunday said, “I didn’t expect him frankly speaking to say that he will always take the ticket of the party. That is going too far and taking the delegates for granted.”
SOYA, in a statement signed by its Rivers state coordinator, Ziad Fubara on Monday said the comment by Wike was in bad taste and capable of causing unnecessary division in the party.
According to the group, “the remark made by Governor Nyesom Wike seeking to discredit the presidential aspiration of Atiku Abubakar, a frontline politician and statesman, is condemnable.
The statement in part read: “We, therefore, want to put it on record that the governor has acted irresponsibly with his odious remarks. We condemn the attack on the person of Atiku Abubakar by Governor Wike and want to make it clear that it is Wike that is indeed causing rancour and division within the PDP.
“We are a youth group and just recently expressed our endorsement and willingness to support the candidature of Atiku Abubakar in the contest for the presidential ticket of the PDP in 2023.”
