Climbing The Leadership Ladder Was Tough As I was Charged With Murder, Armed Robbery – Governor Wike

…Explains his grouse with Saraki, Tambuwal, others northern aspirants

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said he passed through a lot of hurdles on his way to climbING the ladder of leadership starting from being Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers in 1999, saying that he was once charged for murder and armed robbery.

This was as he also explained his grouse with former President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State over the PDP zoning arrangement of the presidency to the South ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Rivers State Governor stated these when he featured on Channels Tv programme; ‘Politics Today’ on Monday, May 2, 2022, during which he spoke on his presidential ambition on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He pointedly said that he had always supported presidential aspirants from the North thus, wondered why those he supported in the 2019 elections were now aspiring to be president in 2023.

The PDP presidential aspirant specifically said that he supported Tambuwal to become Speaker of the House of Representatives and Saraki to become Senate President against all odds.

Wike said that only Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had personally expressed support for his presidential bid, adding that there is nobody contesting for president of the country from the North today that he did not have a relationship with or that he did not support.

In the words of Wike; “People don’t want to tell the truth and I feel so bad. There are nine of them who have come to me to say, ‘Wike, with you, I think I will have my way.’ And I always told them, ‘I agree, but what is on the ground; what is on the table?’

“If you ask most of my friends, the problem I have with friendship is that if we agree on something, let’s keep to it. If there is any reason why that shouldn’t be done, I should be notified.

“Sadly, it is with one very intelligent young man Nigerians listen to – Bukola Saraki with all due respect. I was one of those who made sure he became a Senate President. He was in APC. I tweeted and spoke about his intelligence. Whether you hate him or you don’t like him, this young man is intelligent. Why would you not allow such a person to be at the helms of affairs? I never hid my feelings.

“My brother and friend, Tambuwal, when he wanted to be Speaker, the government and the PDP didn’t want him to be the Speaker. I was one of those who said no, we shouldn’t do that. I came out and said he should be Speaker. Even when he wanted to be president, I was one of those who said he was a vibrant young man and it didn’t matter; that we should not do it by age. People were fighting me all over, in the South, in the West, in the North, in the East. They all fought me. ‘Why are you bringing Tambuwal?”

“I said it was not about me bringing Tambuwal. I said I had found somebody that I thought had all it takes to lead,” he said

Wike insisted that there was a gentleman’s agreement that power should remain in the North while it is shifted to the South in 2023.

According to him; “If there are factors that have come up, you can say, ‘look, gentleman, my brother, I think what is now is not what was available then.’ And then, we can sit down and talk about it.

“I feel bad when people say, ‘oh, it is not right for a Wike.’ No group can win an election without the other group. No northerner can win without the southerners”.

Speaking on his journey to leadership position, Governor Wike said that he was charged with murder and armed robbery just to stop his being Chairman of a Council.

In the words of Wike; “It is not something you think. I didn’t just became a chairman of a Local Government. No, it was not easy for me. But, I was being prepared for leadership.

“If you look at my antecedent, it had never been easy. For me to be chairman of a Council, I had to go to Supreme Court. I was charged with murder and armed robbery for which I didn’t know anything about.

“Even to become a Chief of Staff was another problem,” he enthused.

He also said; “For reference purposes, I was the first local government chairman that the Supreme Court had to reaffirm to be a Local Government chairman. There are several interests in Rivers State both indigenous and outside.

“All these things were geared towards trying to stop me because they were all within the period of political electioneering. Then I said maybe God is preparing me for something. And by the grace of God, I overcame all,” he said.