Dogara Knocks Wike Over Comment On Atiku’s Endorsement

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has berated Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over the latter’s comment regarding his endorsement of Atiku Abubakar.

Dogara in a series of tweets via his verified Twitter account, @Yakubdogara, on Monday evening, said Wike is suffering from amnesia.

The ex-speaker, who was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had on Friday, joined other northern political and religious leaders to endorse the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar for the 2023 election.

“They said Atiku is the best option among other presidential candidates.”

Governor Wike on Monday while speaking at the flag-off of Indorama-Agbonchia-Ogale-Ebubu East/West link road in the Rivers State, criticised Dogara for the endorsement of Atiku. Wike, who expressed disappointment over Dogara’s decision, claimed that he (Dogara) wanted the presidency to be zoned to the south, but had now turned around to support a northerner.

“What I don’t like in life is people that don’t have character. I can’t stand it. At the appropriate time, I would challenge them to a debate,” Wike said.

“Ask Dogara: ‘what made you leave PDP?’ Dogara was to see me. Unknown to me, he gave me an excuse and I was watching Dogara on TV being received by President Muhammadu Buhari that he has gone to APC.

“I said ‘Okay, no problem’. The same Dogara said the presidency should be zoned to southern Nigeria for there to be peace. Now, I hear about the same Dogara (backing Atiku from the north). Is that how you do things? Can’t you say something and stand by it?” Wike queried.

Reacting to that, Dogara said Wike has forgotten a discussion and agreement both of them had in the past which he won’t reveal because he is not a betrayal unless the Rivers governor gives him permission to do so.

He described Wike as being self-centred and shallow minded by insisting that only his positions should be respected and followed.

His tweet reads:

“To my brother, Governor Nyesom Wike; if there is anything you are suffering from, I never thought amnesia would be one of them. Why would you think no one, except you, is entitled to a certain set of principles he/she cannot compromise? It’s such a pity if you cannot remember what our discussion and agreement was all about. Why should only your own position be respected and followed?

“I would never betray a friend and a brother that is why I won’t respond to your tirade on live TV. The details of our conversation is sealed up with me but if you feel it’s okay to throw it to the public kindly give me a written consent to divulge it so that the public can judge who is saying the truth. Thank God there was a witness.”

Dogara had in July 2020 defected from the PDP to the APC and claimed there was a crisis in his home state of Bauchi under Governor Bala Mohammed.

This was like a return to the APC platform where he was elected speaker in 2015 but decamped to PDP with dozens of other lawmakers in the build-up to the 2019 general election.

He won the House of Representatives seat but did not go back to the position as a speaker which was won by APC’s Femi Gbajabiamila.