2023 Presidential Poll: Rivers PDP Chair Opens Up On Wike’s Support For Tinubu

BY ONYEKACHUKWU IBEZIM – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter has now openly confirmed that Governor Nyesom Wike worked against the presidential ambition of the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the February 25 elections, Mr Peter Obi.

The PDP Chairman in Rivers State, Ambassador Desmond Akawo, who made confession in Port Harcourt, the State capital, said the urgent need to fully reconnect with the centre after eight years of opposition informed Governor Wike’s decision to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer and President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the polls.

Akawo’s confession is coming on the heels of recent declaration by Peter Obi in an Arise Television interview that the Rivers State Chief Executive deliberately campaigned against him in the South South state during the presidential election.

Speaking at a meeting with 48 support groups of the APC and Asiwaju Tinubu supporters on Wednesday, Akawo also claimed that party chapter threw its support behind Tinubu because it wanted power to return to the south.

He said; “Rivers State is reconnected again to the federal government. Within the last eight years it has been a war. Rivers State has been at loggerheads with the Federal government and we said, no this war cannot continue.

“So for us in Rivers, he (Wike) has reconnected us back to the mainstream of governance in this country.”

The PDP Chapter Chairman further explained that they supported Asiwaju for power to return to the South, adding; “Whether Asiwaju Tinubu or Peter Obi, for us the next President must be a southerner in the spirit of equity.

“So, in that same spirit of equity, Rivers State having elected a governor from Rivers West through Peter Odili, Rivers East through Ameachi and Wike, we said power should go to Rivers South East and to riverine parts of Rivers South East, since all the governors have been from the upland.

“So in the next 72 hours Rivers State will elect the youngest governor in Nigeria, in the person of Sim Fubara, for a better succession plan. Lagos State is succeeding because it has a better succession plan, from Asiwaju to Babatunde Fashola to the incumbent governor of Lagos State. Sim is a man who understands Rivers State.”

In his remarks at the engagement meeting, Leader of APC in Rivers State and Coordinator of the Support groups, Mr Tony Okocha, said the APC in Rivers state will be voting for PDP candidate, Sim Fubara on March 18 as the in-coming governor in order to reciprocate Governor Wike’s support to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.