Wike: “I Will Announce my Presidential candidate in January, Campaign For Him, Nothing Will Happen”

By Adesina Soyooye

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has told Nigerians that he would announce his preferred Presidential candidate in January 2023.

The Governor is of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which candidate is Atiku Abubakar, but from his utterances, Wike is not likely to vote for Atiku.

Wike spoke on Thursday, December 22, 2022, when he commissioned the 10th fly over at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

He told his audience that he would announce his preferred his Presidential candidate, who his subjects would vote for in February 2023. For good measure, he added that he would campaign for him nationwide, “and nothing will happen.”

The Governor, four other Governors and some stakeholders who he leads, are at loggerheads with the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu and the Presidential Candidate Atiku Abubakar.

It began when he lost the Presidential ticket of the Party to Atiku and was by-passed by Atiku in his choice of running mate. Against Wike, Atiku preferred the Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

Since then Wike and the other four Governors who he leads – Samuel Ortom, Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu and Seyi Makinde, Oyo, have given all PDP activities, including the Presidential Campaign a wide berth.

Their request is that the National Chairman, Ayu, should step down from office. Aside from holding Ayu responsible for what they describe as Wike’s humiliation, they insist that it is unfair for both the National Chairman and the Candidate to come from same Region – North.

And since then, they have said, in many ways, that while they would work for other candidates of the PDP vying for other offices, they will not work for the Presidential candidate, unless Ayu steps down. They have refused to be placated. They asked their subjects to wait for their directives.

It is the same sermon Wike preached on Thursday at the Commissioning of the fly over.

Wike: ” From January next year, I will campaign to my people whom they will vote for.

“So, all of you who have been in suspense, who have been saying all kinds of things, abusing me, wait, January is here.

“Not only will I tell them ( his people) whom to vote, I will move from State to State (to campaign), and why they should vote for the person, and nothing will happen.”

The Presidential election is slated for February 25, 2023.