The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has reiterated that he has no political differences with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP's nominee for president (PDP).
But the governor emphasised that the best course of action to break the party's impasse remained the South's demand that the north relinquishes the national presidency of the PDP.
The governor made this declaration to a group of political allies and Rivers elders on Tuesday while celebrating his birthday at his private property in Rumueprikom, led by Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, the chairman of the Rivers Elders Council.
The governor recalled how the elders of Rivers had pushed him to run for president of Nigeria about a year earlier. If not for some process manipulation, he would have won the PDP presidential nomination since he adhered to their advice.
He said, “I don’t regret I ran for the presidency. In the name of God, I am happy to make Rivers State proud. I am happy as far as I am concerned. If they had allowed it to be what it is supposed to be, I would have won the election. But it’s okay. It has happened.
“People said because I lost the election, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t lose the election. This is my first time trying to run for president of Nigeria, and we made an impact. If it is easy, let them go ahead. Are they not the ones begging.”
The governor of Rivers state stated again that he has no issues with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on a personal level. He said the ongoing crisis in the PDP is due to the southern stakeholders’ demand that the national chairman, who is also from the north as the presidential candidate, step down from his post.
Wike added, “I have no problem with a presidential candidate. All I am saying is, what is the interest of Rivers people? What is the interest of the South-South, and the South?”
He claimed that the discontent of his fellow Ikwerre, including Sir Celestine Omehia and Austin Opara (a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives), stems from his insistence that it would be immoral for an Ikwerre man to succeed him or even emerge as the PDP candidate for the Rivers East senatorial district.
“I called Austin Opara, he sat here, and I said, look, my brother leave it; it will not work. I want to avoid causing a crisis in our system. Amaechi finished eight years as governor; I’m going to finish eight years as governor too. It won’t be easy to sell another Ikwerre person as governor for another eight years. Omehia said he wanted to go to the Senate; I said leave it. Ikwerre has gone, Ogu has gone, leave Etche to go.
“You people said I should go to Senate; I said I won’t. Allwell Onyesoh could not have stopped me. I never did anything to undermine anybody. Yes, today, we are the majority; you don’t know what tomorrow will be like. We must understand that.”
He called claims that he forced Sir Siminalaye Fubara, the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State, on the party “sheer hypocrisy.” He explained that Fubara’s emergence as the party’s nominee resulted from a group decision when those who had expressed interest in succeeding him could not agree on a single candidate.
His administration’s outstanding performance and transformational leadership since 2015 will allow the PDP to win the 2023 election easily, he emphasised, adding, “When O.C.J Okocha comes back, we will publish the agreement signed by all.”
“We will win. I am not running for the election, but I’m running for an election. My name is not on the ballot, but I’m running for an election. You’ll hear what is going to happen. Everybody doesn’t panic. It is something God has given to us in our palm.”
Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, chairman of the Rivers Elders Council, praised Governor Wike for running in the PDP presidential primaries and an impressive campaign that has surprised many.
“Your Excellency, since after the primaries and all the matters arising, many people have been wondering where are we going, what are we doing? But, I assure you that our belief in you and your type of leadership, whenever you decide to say where we are going, is where all of us will go. We are not in a hurry. We will deliver Fubara as our governor. We will deliver all the members of the House of Representatives, all the senators, and all the Assemblymen.
“But the other one we are waiting for whenever you decide. We will wait for you. Whatever you decide, that is where all of us will go. And we are not pressuring you. Your Excellency, we thank God that you have the ability and capacity to carry along several colleagues today, known as G-5. Those are the most popular governors in this country today. Whatever the group comes up with, whichever decision you take, be rest assured that your fellowship will key into it and support you to the last.”