Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has elaborated on his disagreement with the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Wike spoke on Tuesday, when members of the Rivers State Elders Council paid him a visit in Port Harcourt on his birthday.
He explained that the lingering crisis in the PDP, which has been linked to him, is the result of stakeholders from the South demanding that the PDP’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, resign.
He explained to members of the Rivers State Elders Council, led by their Chairman, Ferdinand Alabraba, and his political associates, that the Southern stakeholders are adamant that the party’s presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the North.
Wike said:
I have no problem with the 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?
I don’t regret I ran for presidency.
In the name of God, I am happy to make Rivers State proud.
I am happy as far 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 election, it doesn’t matter.
I didn’t lose election.
This is my first time of trying to run for the president of Nigeria and we made impact.
If it is easy, let them go ahead.
Are they not the ones begging?
Wike said his Ikwerre brothers, such as Celestine Omehia and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, were begrudging him because he insisted it would be morally offensive for an Ikwerre man to succeed him or even emerge PDP candidate for Rivers East Senatorial District.
He said:
I called Austin Opara.
He sat here and I said look my brother, leave it, it will not work.
I don’t want to cause crisis in our system.
(Former Governor Rotimi) Amaechi finished eight years as governor.
I’m going to finish eight years as governor too.
It will be difficult to sell another Ikwerre person as governor for another eight years.
Omehia said he wants 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.
Yes, today, we are majority, you don’t know what tomorrow will be.
I never did anything to undermine anybody.
We must understand that.
Wike also denied foisting Siminalaye Fubara on the party as the Rivers State governorship candidate.
He said Fubara was a product of consensus.
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