2023: Why I Won’t Campaign For Atiku – Wike

Wike has explained why he will not campaign for Atiku in the buildup to the 2023 presidential election.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said he will not campaign for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, because he’s working with enemies of the state.

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Wike, a member of the PDP, made the disclosure on Monday during the inauguration of the party’s state campaign council in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The Rivers governor bemoaned Atiku’s decision to pick people from Rivers as members of the PDP presidential campaign council without consulting him.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike

He further claimed that the PDP presidential candidate disrespected Rivers by choosing “enemies of the state.”

Wike, who lamented the neglect of Rivers by successive federal administrations since 1999, also threatened that the state will have nothing to do with people who don’t accommodate its interest.

“The presidential candidate entered Rivers state and picked those he wants to pick without the contribution of the governor. So, they said they don’t need me to campaign for them. They don’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself on them?” the governor queried.

“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers state and go and choose those who are enemies of the state, without the contribution from us.

“So, let’s campaign for those who have told us to campaign for them here in the state — the governorship candidate, the senatorial candidates and others.

“Politics is a game of interest. If nobody accommodates the interest of Rivers state, then we have nothing to do with such people. If you say that you have no interest in Rivers state, Rivers state will not have your own interest. It is only those who like us that we will like.

“I have told people who care. Rivers State has voted PDP since 1999. Of this support we have given since 1999 till now, can you mention one thing that we have gotten in this state? Can you mention one road that we have gotten? All they care about is to use Rivers state to bring votes. After votes, you push us aside. That will not happen again.”

Addressing the PDP campaign council, Wike told the members to have a different mindset because the strategies to be adopted for the 2023 elections would differ from what they are used to.

The Rivers governor comments about “enemies of the state” may not be unconnected to the former national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, who he fell out with in 2021.

Secondus, who’s from Rivers State, is currently in Atiku’s campaign team.

PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar

Wike’s comments come amid his struggle against the leadership of the PDP.

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The governor and his allies have insisted that the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, must step down from his position for fairness. They argue that it’s unfair that the national chairman and presidential candidate are from the northern part of Nigeria.

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