Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday praised his G-5 colleagues for their commitment to zoning and power shift before and during the recent presidential election.
He said history will be kind to Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Sam Ortom (Benue) for sacrificing their ambitions for equity, justice and fairness.
Wike, who also reflected on the crisis that rocked the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)ahead of the poll, described the National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and ex-Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu as spent forces.
The Rivers governor clarified that the G-5 governors never agreed to support the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the preparations for the election.
Wike, in a live chat on Channels, said the G-5 only reached an agreement to press for the emergence of a Southern President.
The governor described Obi’s accusation that he manipulated the electoral process to his disadvantage as unfortunate.
He said: “There was never a time the integrity Group met and said it must be this person. We only agreed on southern President. We formulated strategies and the southern President emerged. Our interest is that a southern President should emerge.
“When we went to our meeting, we decided on Southern President. We didn’t say it must be this. We said whatever you are doing it must be Southern President. The aim of G5 was equity, fairness and justice.
“I don’t work for INEC, I don’t have INEC documents with me. I am not an ad hoc staff of INEC and so I am not in a place to rig election for anybody. It is when you have the materials of INEC that you talk about rigging. But I take exception to Peter Obi’s comments that I came out against him. People are not being sincere, people are not appreciative.
“I never told Rivers people to vote for the candidate (of the APC). I told Rivers people (to vote) for the unity of Nigeria. As far as Rivers State is concerned, their position is that ‘look, we want a power shift.’ And there are two candidates from the South – Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi.
“If Rivers people have chosen to vote for Asiwaju, and the same Rivers people also voted for Peter Obi, that tells you that their decision was to vote for a Southern President. So, among them, one must always get the highest vote. If you look at the votes, APC won, followed by the Labour Party. So, that tells you the decision they took. That is the decision of Rivers people.
“In 2019, ask Peter Obi, I was one of the team that chose Obi to be the vice presidential candidate of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. When we met at Abubakar’s house, he said these are the names, I will choose Obi. Obi was invited while we were at Saraki’s house in the night.
“I was fought by people like (Senator Ike) Ekweremadu, my own friend, the governor of Ebonyi State, (David) Umahi, and Pius Anyim. Every blame was on me. Why will I be the one that will say Peter Obi. Why should I chose for the Southeast. Did he come out to say Governor Wike was the one who supported me to be the vice presidential candidate? He didn’t say so.”
Wike said G-5 governors — Ugwuanyi; Ortom and Ikpeazu made huge sacrifices to ensure the emergence of a southern President.
He said though Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde won his reelection, he had earlier said he would not mind sacrificing his second term on the altar of equity, justice and fairness.
Wike said: “Ortom said even if he loses his senatorial election, let equity, justice and fairness prevail. He may not gain it now. But history will be kind to him. Same applies to Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu. Even Makinde said even if he lost his governorship ambition, he was interested in the unity of Nigeria.
When asked whether justice and equity prevailed since the Southeast did not produce the President, Wike said the winning capacity of an individual and his party must also be taken into consideration.
He added: “We have different interest when you come to the South. People must choose who is likely to win election. To win election in Nigeria you must have the spread. What we are saying is that power should shift to the south.”
Wike said Ayu has brought no value to the party, following the outcome of the just-concluded general elections.
He said Ayu lost his polling unit, his ward and senatorial district in Benue State adding that he has lost relevance.
He said unlike Ayu, Aliyu and other attack dogs, he delivered for the PDP in Rivers by winning the three senatorial seats, the House of Assembly seats and 90 per cent of the National Assembly seats.
Wike said: “Rivers is PDP. The governorship and national assembly members are PDP. Ayu lost his polling unit. I won three senatorial seats, 32 house of Assembly seats. He didn’t get anything.
“Jigawa did not win presidential election. Babangida Aliyu did not win. So who is the betrayer? We won to make sure PDP exist. Of what relevance is he as national chairman? He couldn’t deliver his polling unit.
“I am a peacemaker. All I want is equity and fairness. I am not a troublemaker. PDP should be careful. There are those who don’t want PDP to survive. They called us small boys.
“Mention one state that PDP did what Rivers State did. Who love PDP more? I am saying the NWC must do the right thing. Why do you want to use another zone to remain as a national chairman? I cannot leave this party. Ayu left and came back.”
Wike said he would continue to be relevant among his people after leaving office.
The governor recalled that in 2015, he defeated a sitting governor insisting that his relevance would depend on his people’s perception of him.
Wike said certain arrogant party leaders sold a dummy that the North would always vote for their own across board.
He said unknown to them, majority of the Northerner, especially the governors elected on the platform of the APC, preferred unity to power retention.
Wike dismissed insinuations that he would try to manipulate the Rivers governor-elect, Siminailayi Fubara.
The governor also clarified that Fubara, who resigned as Accountant-General of the state to contest the election, is not wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According to him, some disgruntled politicians in the state were behind the rumour.
Wike said Fubara, on assumption of office, will continue from where his administration stopped and consolidate on the New Rivers Vision.
