Ensure the 2023 general election is not truncated: Wike
Wike, who described himself as an unrepentant member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it was abominable for two PDP states, Bayelsa and Edo, to join the federal government as defendants in the suit brought before the Supreme Court by some states challenging the naira sway policy.
“For the first time, I have seen a government procuring opposition to join them to defend their policy. A policy that is anti-people. You are now the ones procuring PDP to defend something totally wrong. I have seen anything like this in my life. It is a big shame.”
The governor commended the APC presidential candidate for his steadfastness and loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, despite his challenges in the ruling party.
Wike recalled that between 2017 and 2018, after a meeting in Paris with former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and others, he was sent to persuade the APC presidential candidate to join the PDP.
“I came to your house in Bourdillon. I came and said to you, sir, look at how the country is moving. We cannot allow the current President to continue in 2019. You now asked me, okay, what are the alternatives? I said, sir, we have Atiku, Tambuwal, and Bukola. You laughed. You said you look, I will remain with Buhari. If these are your alternatives, I will remain with Buhari, that I don’t know them.”
Wike commended the APC state governors for their insistence that power must return to the south after president Buhari’s tenure.
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“I thank APC governors for standing firm to say the unity of this country is more paramount. If you want to be president without peace, does it make sense? You must be President when the country is united and enjoy being president.”
The governor described the APC presidential candidate as a man of character and courage. These attributes, he stressed, are what the country desperately requires now in her democratisation drive.
“I wish you good luck. I support the principle of fairness, equity and justice, which is what G-5 stands for. Unfortunately, g-5 does not stand for anybody.”
Wike advised the APC presidential candidate and the party’s national leadership not to invest resources in any of the party’s candidates in the state because none of them would win a single seat in the general election.
Earlier, the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, informed governor Wike that the courtesy call was necessitated by his sheer regard and admiration for his advocacy that power should rotate to the south.
The APC presidential candidate said he joined the race to lead the country on the philosophy governor Wike has consistently advocated that power should return to the south.
Ensure the 2023 general election is not truncated: Wike
“Our courtesy call is out of my respect for you, not to personalise it. You worked hard, and you voiced your commitment to unity and the critical part of that unity in Nigeria loudly; you never advocated a division of our country. You followed history. You respect the country.”
On his part, Adamu explained that he had deliberately resolved that power should rotate to the south at the end of President Buhari’s tenure.
According to him, the decision resulted in the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the APC’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.
According to him, Wike has demonstrated that he is a man of conscience by his stance on power shift.