The governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike has denied working as running mate to former Vice Presidency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as alleged in the media.
Wike made this clarification during a stakeholders meeting of the Rivers State Chapter of the PDP at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
He said:
“Please discountenance anything you’re seeing about being VP to this and that. Discountenance all those social media talk. Don’t mind what you see or read on social media. I am not a running mate to anybody. Please be patient. Our party, PDP will soon come out with a position for the 2023 presidential election. For now, I am not contesting as running mate to any candidate.”
The Governor’s comment comes a day after it had been reported on some platforms that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, was planning to pick him as a running mate ahead of the 2023 elections.
But according to Wike, members of the party in the southern region will speak in one voice and at the appropriate time, about their decision on the forthcoming election.
“The south will make a statement very soon and the day the south makes a statement, Nigeria will know that we are not joking.
“It is not to come out and say you are consulting. You say you’re consulting, yet you have declared. Is it not after consultations that you declare?”, he asked.
Meanwhile, also addressing the issue of agitations over zoning, the Governor said what is more important right now, is to focus on building a more united party.
“Those things are not necessary,” Wike said, adding; “what is necessary is that the party should be cohesive and to make sure the party gets it right.
“When you threaten that it must be north or threaten that it must be south, then you are not trying to make peace.”
He also spoke about the party’s chances to retain the Rivers State Governorship seat and the recent efforts by his administration to recover some critical assets of the state.
