Itubo has reportedly been ill for two weeks after she was involved in a domestic accident. SaharaReporters learnt Itubo has been on crutches as she recuperates from what looks like a sprained ankle from a picture of her seen by our correspondent.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party has been accused of shunning the party’s governorship candidate in Rivers State, Chief Beatrice Itubo during his recent visit to the state.
Itubo has reportedly been ill for two weeks after she was involved in a domestic accident. SaharaReporters learnt Itubo has been on crutches as she recuperates from what looks like a sprained ankle from a picture of her seen by our correspondent.
Following an invitation by Governor Nyesom Wike, Obi and his vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed were in Rivers on Thursday to inaugurate Nkpolu-Oroworokwo Flyover.
At the event, Obi endorsed Siminalaye Fubara, the governorship candidate of the rival Peoples Democratic Party who was recently declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged fraud and embezzlement, instead of the candidate of his party, Itubo.
A source privy to the happenings in the Rivers State chapter of the Labour Party said meanwhile, Itubo, despite being on sickbed had mobilized fellow party members, printed posters and erected billboards ahead of Obi’s visit to the state.
“Mr. Peter Obi came to Port Harcourt without no form of courtesy of notice to her as leader of Labour Party in Rivers State,” the source said.
The source further noted, “This is ailing Chief Mrs Beatrice Itubo, the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate and Chairperson NLC (Nigeria Labour Congress) in Rivers State.
“Fondly called Iron Lady, Comr. Chief Mrs. Beatrice Itubo has been on sick bed for two weeks now as a result of a domestic accident she had while planning for one of their Labour Party campaigns in Port Harcourt.
“On her sick bed, Mrs Itubo heard about Obi's visit to Port Harcourt on the radio and still, proactively planned and mobilized Labour Party members and scarce resources to welcome and cheer him up.
“This woman and her Rivers Obidient team printed posters, erected billboards and have gone through hell campaigning around Rivers State for Obi with her hard-earned resources.
“Peter Obi, fully aware of her condition, the intimidation she has been going through at the hand of Governor Wike, deliberately refused to visit her in the hospital, instead he traded her ambition and interests of others Labour Party candidates for another party candidate.
"Some people said Peter Obi is a selfish man, others say Peter Obi is a scam. I have seen it all!”
On Thursday, Obi traded off Itubo for the PDP governorship candidate, Fubara, to get Governor Wike’s support for his presidential ambition in return.
Obi repeatedly referred to Fubara as “incoming governor”
During the event, Wike said, “Presidential candidate (referring to Obi), your party does not have members of the National Assembly here; they don’t have anybody. So, don’t put your money ooooh. If you put your money, it will go down the drain. Focus on your own election. All the other people, not one, they will not win one seat.
“Political party is just a conveyor belt. It is just a vehicle to get you where you are going. If our laws permitted independent candidacy, you would have done that without any political party. Since there is no independent candidacy in our constitution, you must join a political party to enable you sell yourself to Nigerians.
“I know you as a person and you have all the criteria, you have all that is needed to lead this country. Nobody can deny that from you. What I pray is for God to give you the strength, to give you the wisdom to move from one state to another.
“When you want to come to Rivers State for campaigns, let me know. We will give you all the necessary support.
“Listen, don’t misquote me. What I am saying is as somebody who has honoured us by coming to commission my project without saying that he is not a member of my party, when he comes here for campaign, he will need vehicles to go to one or two local government areas or Senatorial districts."
“He is a former governor and a presidential candidate. As a state government, we will always give him the support to go for campaigns,” Wike added.
Wike noted that Obi suffered humiliation while he was in the PDP.
“Your Excellency, you were a member of our party, but you left our party. I know why you left the party and I don’t blame you for leaving the party. Let me tell you, nobody can suffer what you suffered, the humiliation you faced. Most of the people don’t know but I know. Nobody here knew what you passed through.
“But for me, I will not leave, I will stay there and fight the fight. For me, I am not leaving this house. I will never allow armed robbers to take over my house. I am going to stay to chase away the armed robbers," Wike said.
Responding, Obi openly supported Fubara instead of the candidate of his party, Itubo.
He said, “Today, we have not come for campaign, we are here for commissioning. I have listened to what you said that I should tell Labour Party people that they should be careful about the state. I will talk to them; we will negotiate.
“I will tell them that Oga said if you give to this side, you give to the other side too. If we leave the state (governorship) for him, he will leave the federal (presidency) for us. So, we will negotiate it.
“You know you are in charge. We will not quarrel with you; anybody who quarrels with you doesn’t know what he is doing. I will not try it. I am begging, give us federal and we will give you the state.”
The Labour Party candidate had several times met with Governors Wike; Samuel Ortom of Benue; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, who fell out with the PDP National Chairman and presidential candidate, Iyorchia Ayu and Atiku Abubakar respectively.
SaharaReporters had reported that Fubara, Wike’s anointed candidate who was endorsed by Obi, was recently declared wanted by the EFCC for alleged fraud and embezzlement.