Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that Nigerians need to look beyond Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for a true unifier.
He also said that Nigeria is in dire need of a true unifier who has the capacity to lead without segregating against any part or section of the country.
Governor Wike spoke at the inauguration of the Mgbuitanwo internal road in Emohua Local Government Area of the State. The Mgbuitanwo internal roads were inaugurated by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) recently.
Governor Wike expressed grave concern about how the diversity of the country has been grossly threatened by those who have resorted to campaigns on the basis of ethnic and regional sentiment. According to him, such parochial tendency will make Nigerians more divided along religious and ethnic lines than ever before.
“It is not to say don’t vote for a Yoruba man, don’t vote for an Igbo man. That is not what we require in this country now. What we require is a man who will put Nigeria together. We of integrity group will continue to support whatever is right, whatever will help this country.”
The governor explained that he had tried in vain to persuade leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party not to allow Kwankwaso to leave the party because of the strategic importance of Kano State.
“When you wanted to leave PDP, I came to your house in Abuja. I said sir, don’t leave the party. I pleaded with you. I came two times. Those who never meant well for this party, who will want to take control where they never sowed. They said no, leave Kwankwaso to go. Who is he? Let him go, after all, I was a Senate President when he was Deputy Speaker House of Representatives. I said no, he is an asset to the party in Kano State. Kano is very important to our party, therefore, whatever it takes let’s keep him, let’s manage him. They said let him go”.
The Rivers State governor described the NNPP presidential candidate and former governor of Kano State, Kwankwaso as a man of integrity and number among leaders that Nigeria needs. According to him, the NNPP presidential candidate had assured him that his supporters who are still in PDP will vote for him during the PDP presidential primary and they did.
Governor Wike offered to provide protocol and logistics support to Kwankwaso whenever he wants to do his campaigns in Rivers State.
“If you’re coming for campaign here, I will give you the logistic support for you to campaign. You’re a former governor.”
He, however, told Kwankwaso that it is difficult for any other party to win in Rivers State, therefore, it will be futile for him to waste resources, thinking he will win an election for any candidate of his party in the State.
Performing the inauguration, the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso commended governor Wike for engaging Julius Berger Nigeria PLC to deliver the best quality of roads in a rural community.
Such a gesture, Kwankwaso noted speaks of a leader who loves his people and is doing his best to better their lot across sectors including the provision of quality educational infrastructure.
Kwankwaso stressed that those who are undermining the capability of the PDP G-5, particularly governor Wike, are doing so to their peril politically because Rivers State like Kano, and Lagos is critical to winning any election.
The NNPP presidential candidate stated that members of the Integrity Group led by governor Wike, are good people who will continue to do the right thing, and will be judged by posterity based on what they do
