Atiku had, in an interview on Arise TV last week Friday, suggested that he could not work amicably with the governor as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
The former vice president had said he chose someone with “the qualities to be President. The person must have an appreciation of the deep rot which our country has been put into by the rudderless All Progressives Congress government; understands the great suffering that most of our people are going through and the urgency of relieving them of that suffering; understands the critical importance of economic growth and development to provide our young people with jobs, hope, and a pathway to wealth.”
He added: “But you must understand that it’s the prerogative of the candidate to pick his running mate a running mate he believes he can work with amicably, and then also deliver the policies of the party, and also try to unify the country.”
Atiku, however, added that he would soon meet with the Rivers governor to resolve any lingering issues between them.
Speaking with reporters on Friday morning at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Wike accused Abubakar of lies and deceit in his recent interview with Arise News.
The governor, who just returned from Spain, stated that the former vice president told many lies during his controversial interview.
He said: “I told my special adviser on Media that am going to speak on issues. We know in this part of our world when lies are been contorted, it becomes a fact.
“I have always believed when the left speaks, allow the right to also speak. We are not getting younger and as days pass we get older.
“It is most unfortunate since after our primary I have decided to be quiet because is a party I love so much. I never said anything, I decided to go back home and fulfilled the promises I made to the people of Rivers State.
“But there comes a time I need to speak and let Nigerians know the actual truth. Having known the truth, whatever they decide to do with it is left for them.
“When the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar unveiled his running mate, know right thinking person and a lover of this party will say that the speech he made on that day was fair.
“Forget about his hailers, the scavengers and I never reacted to it. I said, no this party belongs to all of us.
“Thereafter Atiku appeared on Arise TV, see the statement he made. So many lies were told and then you said I should not react to some of those issues. That will not be fair.
“Assuming today am not alive, obviously what he has said will be accepted as the truth.”
