Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has mocked the ambition of former senator, Dino Melaye, who wants to contest for the Kogi governorship election.
Dino Melaye is among the contenders who were recently screened by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the party’s primary election.
Speaking on Tuesday at a media chat in Port Harcourt, Wike laughed off Melaye’s governorship ambition, saying the former senator does not have what it takes to be governor.
Wike explained that if Melaye wins the party’s ticket, he can’t defeat other candidates in the race to secure victory in the governorship election scheduled for November 11.
He said, “When you give Dino that ticket, you know he won’t win in Kogi State. Why would Kogi people say they would vote for a candidate like Dino? Are we joking?”
The governor said the mere fact that someone is from a place does not equate to electoral success if such a person contests an election.
“Dino does not have what it takes [to be a governor] for crying out loud,” Wike said, adding. “He knows me very well. He does not have what it takes to be a governor.”
According to him, if the PDP gives the ticket to the former Kogi West lawmaker, the party is doomed to lose the exercise.
“Does it mean now that if the PDP wants to win the election, it would give the ticket to Dino and you say tomorrow that you were rigged when you have already killed yourself?
“Are we saying that we want to win an election or just have a candidate?” Wike asked.
The governor says he won’t campaign for the PDP if the party gives its governorship ticket to Senator Dino.
“Do you need to ask me that kind of question? Are you not aware that I would not do that?” Wike said when asked if he would campaign for the main opposition party if Dino wins the ticket.
He accused the party’s leadership of trying to “manipulate” the process in favour of Dino.
“Why are you trying to manipulate this in favour of one aspirant?” he queried.
KanyiDaily recalls that last year, Dino Melaye failed to secure the PDP senatorial ticket when he contested against TJ Yusuf who is currently representing Kogi West constituency at the Senate.
