Nyesom Wike, governor of River state, says he was drinking a
40-year-old whiskey when Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), led protesters to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) headquarters in protest.

Abubakar and Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the PDP, led
other leaders of the party to protest alleged irregularities that marred the
conduct of the presidential election.

The country’s main opposition party had asked that results
collated from the exercise be cancelled and elections be redone in areas that
had problems.

Speaking at an event, Wike mocked his party members
referring to them as a “students’ union” chanting “aluta continua”.

“What is in us is greater than what is in them,” the
governor said in a mix of English and pidgin.

“As they were protesting, I just sat down and I took one
40-year-old whiskey. I called some of my friends ‘o boy, sit down. Make una sit
down open 40 years.

“Then I put on television, see as dem dey do marching
(Mimics). They have become labour union, they have become students union ‘all
we are saying…’ chai. You are saying what? What are you saying?

“That you have taken over the role of students’ union, aluta
continua. That is what the party has become, aluta continua.”

GENESIS OF THE RIFT

The rift between Wike and the party began after he failed to
secure the presidential ticket of the PDP.

As a precondition for resolving the rift, Wike and his
allies demanded that Ayu step down as national chairman of the party.

But Ayu responded, saying those who want him out of office
“are children”.