Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that nobody can undermine the interest of the people of Southern Nigeria in the decision over who flies the presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Wike made the declaration during a meeting of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) stakeholders in Rivers State at Government House in Port Harcourt.
The governor frowned at those who claimed that they were transversing the country on consultation with stakeholders over their interest in the race but are actually declaring their ambition inadvertently.
Wike said the people of Southern Nigeria will make a bold statement at the appropriate time and Nigerians will know where they stand.
He said: “Please, discountenance anything you’re seeing and hearing, all those social media posts. The South will make a statement very soon. It is not about you’ll be vice president to this, or these people are consulting. The day the South makes a statement, Nigerians will know that we are not joking.
“It’s not to come out to say you’re consulting. You’re consulting, yet, you’ve declared. Is it not after consultation that you declare. You’ve already declared, and you say you’re consulting. What are you consulting again then?
“And people take the South for granted saying that they are not together. No problems. If we don’t know yesterday, today we know.”
The governor asserted that Southern Nigeria, particularly Rivers State, is an enduring asset to the PDP and cannot be treated with levity.
According to him, when they make up their minds to support any person in their party of choice, everything is mobilised to achieve the intended goal.
“We are assets. We are not liability. When we say we are going to support the party, we support the party with everything we have. We are not in America where you do television campaigns.
“When we come out, we will choke them. They know it. So, everybody should relax, let the South do their homework and then, they’ll make a proper statement.”
Governor Wike explained that since PDP is an opposition party, what is most tenable now is for every member to forge unity within the party, build greater team spirit and protect it from those who want to sow seeds of discord.
He said those who think they could use money to overwhelm the process of internal democracy, and buy off the ticket, would be disappointed.
Wike stated: “What is necessary is how the party must be cohesive. To make sure that the party gets it right. Then, when you threaten that it must be North, then you’re not trying to make peace or when you threaten, you must be South, you’re not trying to make peace.
“It’s a matter of sitting down and understanding; look at this and that. That is the way it’s supposed to be.
“Forget about Chief Dokpesi, with all due respect, Dokpesi, are people trying to destroy the party, which is not good. If we follow the kind of statement that Dokpesi is making everyday, by now, the party would have been destroyed. But, we said no.”
Speaking further, Governor Wike said it was evident that the process is on towards the end of his tenure and everybody needs to pray while clinging to unity over who becomes the next governor of the State.
He asserted that the commonplace expectation is that those who will take over the mantle should be willing to build on the current standard of governance already provided.
Governor Wike stated that he would never anoint any person to succeed him but would be praying to God to give to the state that kind of person who will move the state to the next level.
“I am not anointing anybody. All I’ve said to God is that help me that a better person will emerge that will move this state forward.
“I urge all of you to be calm. It is still early for us to say it must be this person or that person.”
