*Says his presidency will end banditry in Nigeria
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has wondered what good jobs Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has done that presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are promising to consolidate.
Governor Wike, who is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, said Nigerians are under the yoke of APC maladministration with intractable insecurity situation that has crippled the economy and increased hunger.
Speaking in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State on Friday, when he met with Governor Douye Diri at the Government House, Governor Wike said God and Nigerians will forbid such successor to emerge, because the country must be freed from the festering insecurity, hunger, poverty and dwindling economic fortunes of Nigeria and its people.
“It is most unfortunate when I hear people declaring (intention to be president) under APC and saying they want to continue the good job of Mr President. The good job of people dying everyday, the good job of Naira falling everyday.
“I feel so ashamed that we have gotten to the level of sycophancy where people will come and say I want to continue the good job of Buhari. What is the good job of Buhari? Of hunger, poverty, insecurity, economy falling?
“I can’t believe that somebody will come out in today’s Nigeria and say I want to continue where Mr Buhari has stopped. May God never allowed that evil to continue.”
Governor Wike described himself as the most courageous leader who can lead Nigeria out of its presents woes and has therefore, urged delegates of the PDP in Bayelsa State to support his presidential bid.
The Rivers State governor urged his Bayelsa State counterpart to support his presidential bid because he was contesting on behalf of the two sister States.
Governor Wike said he understands the peculiar problems of the the two States, the Niger Delta region and is in a position to sufficiently address them as president of Nigeria.
In his response, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri noted that PDP constitution provided for the rotation of the position of presidential candidate between the North and South.
He reiterated that it was expedient that it is enforced within the principle of fairness, justice and fair play.
Governor Diri described his Rivers State counterpart as a homegrown politician who understands the contending issues both in the South-South region, and Nigeria as a whole.
“The challenges of the South South, the challenges of the Niger Delta, the challenges of Rivers and Bayelsa, you have worn the shoe, and it is only those who wear the shoe that knows where it is pinching. And so, there is no other aspirant that understands our challenges and problems other than you.
“You could have as well say this is our state I don’t need to come and campaign in Bayelsa, I don’t even need to come and see the delegates in Bayelsa, my brother governor is there, he will do it for me. And if you had called me on phone, I would have said don’t come, stay back in Port Harcourt we will do it for you.”
He noted the need for a courageous leader like governor Wike to reverse the top-bottom administrative modus operandi of APC that has plunged Nigeria into dire economic situation.
Governor Diri assured his brother governor that the people of Bayelsa State will support him to actualise his presidential ambition.
Governor Wike, who later met with PDP delegates at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, reminded them of how he stood firm and never betrayed former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Rivers State governor said he was handing himself over to Bayelsa people to consider him as their son, who is requiring their support so that he could clinch the PDP presidential ticket.
Governor Wike described himself as complete PDP member who has never left the party, and remains the only courageous and fearless person who can confront APC in the 2023 presidential election, and win it.
The Rivers State governor expressed regret that the APC led Federal Government has been unable to crush activities of bandits in parts of the country.
He however, stated that bandits will naturally run away when they know that he has emerged as the next president of Nigeria.
Former Governor of Gombe State, Hassan Dakwambo said Governor Wike requires their support to actualise his presidential bid.
According to him, Governor Wike is not only one of their own, but a trusted, tested leader who is psychologically prepared, and has the courage to provide the needed leadership that Nigeria yearns for.
PDP chairman in Bayelsa State, Mr Solomon Agwana said the country needs a visionary leader like Governor Wike to put out of the brinks.
Kelvin Ebiri
Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Rivers State.
May 6, 2022.
