Christopher Amadi: How Duoye Diri Betrayed Wike

Forum 2 years ago

Christopher Amadi: How Duoye Diri Betrayed Wike

Since the Presidential primary of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, the PDP, a lot has been said about the betrayal of the southern governors. They betrayed the Asaba Accord, betrayed the region and betrayed themselves. While Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has been selected as the vice-presidential candidate by Atiku, Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike has been left to lick his wounds as he himself knows the people that betrayed him.

Rumours from the Rivers State Government house are very strong that while Wike was not very surprised about the betrayal of Governor Obaseki, Udom and Okowa, he was particularly stunned about the betrayal of Bayelsa State Governor Diri of Bayelsa State Governor Wike had visited Governor Diri several times, in spite of Wike’s disagreement with Diri’s predecessor and boss, He donated N500m to Diri’s government in projects that Diri misconstrued or misrepresented as projects that he did, even though wike knew the truth, he still donated the money to encourage him.

Wike in his magnanimity encouraged Timi Alaibe to make peace with Diri but in spite of all of these, Diri was one of those that stood against Wike, and made sure Wike lost at the primaries, also made sure he did not get the VP ticket. In fact, we have it on good authority that Diri spent a lot of money and made a lot of friends in Abuja in a bid to put himself in the conversation to be VP to Atiku, a position that PDP leaders rejected on the grounds that he had not garnered enough requisite experience and political control.

Diri’s argument was that it had happened before in Bayelsa when Jonathan had not spent up to 2 years as Governor before being picked by late President Shehu Musa Yaradua as Vice Presidential Candidate PDP leaders did not buy the argument knowing that, unlike Diri, Jonathan had already spent almost 6 years as Deputy Governor and overruled him after collecting his money Attention was however focused on Wike, Okowa and Udom, but the public does not know that Diri went around lobbying for the VP ticket through a lot of Northern leaders claiming that he can unify aggrieved members and he is cool-headed, unlike Wike.

Wike is quite angry with this move and in a recent exchange, his spokesman made a post expressing Wike’s displeasure, and Wike himself was heard publicly mocking Diri when he said “Even governors who could not win elections betrayed me” – It is obvious to even the blind that Diri was one of those governors he meant. In just over 2 years of Governorship, everyone is shocked about Governor Diri’s life of political betrayal.

Diri’s betrayal of his first political Boss Timi Alaibe is very well known. Even when Wike persuaded Alaibe to work with Diri and Alaibe agreed, all the promises he made to Alaibe, none has been fulfilled. Diri’s cat and mouse relationship with his benefactor who made him get all the political positions he has ever held, who fought and won all his elections for him including the governorship is very well known. Even though both parties especially the former governor by his maturity and distance, have made it not to be made open, we in Rivers state know what has been going on. Diri has tried everything to undermine, subvert and spread propaganda against his benefactor, with a view to controlling the state.

Diri’s betrayal of Timipre Sylva is also known. Immediately he became governor, he ran to him for support, he made promises and proposed deals between them, none of which was followed through at all, Sylva has realized Diri is what he is, that a leopard cannot change its spots. Diri at 64 does not make a promise that he will keep. Everybody he deals with is with deceits and camouflage aimed at incurring favour, support, public applause and for the cameras.

From all indications, even former president Jonathan who fell for Diri’s charm and i’s traps has also realized this, and also people around the former president even his wife, have also confirmed that with this short period Diri is not a man to be trusted by anyone and cannot be relied upon. All the candidates Diri agreed to concede to Jonathan, from the House of Assembly House of Reps in Jonathan’s senatorial zone, Diri denied all and made them fail.

He papers over projects of the previous administration and spends heavily on propaganda and lies in the media to deceive the people and the people are tired. In Bayelsa, his government is now seen as a Government of 419, propaganda, treachery and betrayal. This is the very opposite of Wike’s politics and we in Rivers state are proud of our Governor who speaks his mind and everyone knows where he stands against these chameleons in the south south who have given our zone a bad name. If our Governors will meet at Asaba, agree on Southern Presidency, go to Lagos affirm it and other places in the south, affirming it again and again, and these same people betrayed the resolution, then we don’t have hope.

What Diri did to Secondus is worthy of mention too. He abandoned Secondus and betrayed Secondus to embrace Ayu. Secondus against Wike’s wishes gave Diri the ticket. Diri betrayed Secondus to gain support from Wike while planning to betray Wike at the same time at the primaries. He ditched Wike after consolidating with the party chairman Ayu, giving him sand filling and construction contracts in Bayelsa state worth several billion. All the political leadership in Bayelsa have known this same thing about Diri. Wike has also come to know this too, that Diri is who he is, a serial and unrepentant betrayal, if there is anyone in whose veins betrayal runs, it is Duoye Diri.

We have records of Diri conniving with the APC even against his own candidates. He is perpetually plotting and perpetually betraying. Diri is now claiming to be close to Okowa, after lobbying seriously to be VP and he did not get it. He is now focusing on Okowa. I enjoin Okowa and Atiku to be careful with this character. Luckily, Atiku is an experienced man who has key supporters who will tell him the nature of things.

You would recall that Wike’s aide, Kelvin Ebiri had in a piece, fired back at Diri for betraying his boss. Ebiri stated, “In pacifying my principal after he lost the presidential primary, he was approached by PDP national leadership to stand as Vice President or nominate a candidate, all his efforts in this regard came to nought despite his sacrifices. Now, you want Governor Nyesom Wike to serve as a member of the Osun State campaign committee where Douye Diri is the Chairman; Wike had contested elections three times and won, his pedigree as an astute politician is outstanding, his contacts politically spread across, what advantage or positive influence will Diri’s chairmanship bring to Osun election? A man who became Governor through the power of the court, let me say it here and now, my principal, Governor Nyesom Wike will not participate or interfere in the Osun election, he has declined the offer and has notified the party appropriately, all I know is that the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu will completely destroy our party”.