Rivers State Governor, Chief 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 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wike made the declaration during a meeting of stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The governor frowned at those who claimed that they were traversing the country on consultation with stakeholders over their interest in the race, but were actually declaring their ambition inadvertently.
Wike said the people of Southern Nigeria would make a bold statement at the appropriate time and Nigerians would know where they stand.
“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?
“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, and particularly Rivers State, was 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 would be 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 campaign.
“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.”
Wike explained that since PDP was an opposition party, what was most tenable now was for every member to forge unity within the party, build greater team spirit and protect it from those who may 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.
“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 it 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 Raymond Dokpesi. With all due respect, Dokpesi and others are people trying to destroy the party which is not good. If we follow the kind of statement that Dokpesi is making every day, by now, the party would have been destroyed. But we said no.”
Speaking further, Wike said it was obvious that the process was 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 was that those who would take over the mantle should be people who are willing to build on the current standard of governance already provided.
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 would 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”, he advised.