27th March, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor /Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has finally declared that he is interested in vying for the presidency in 2023 under the platform of of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Wike’s declaration came after months of speculations that he is interested in the 2023 presidential race.
The Rivers State Governor declared his interest in presidency in Makurdi, Benue State on Sunday after he met with PDP stakeholders.
He said priority will be to tackle the festering insecurity in the country and engender rule of law if he is elected the President of Nigeria.
“Let me thank the people of Benue for receiving me to come and talk to them. It is obvious that I am going to run for the presidency of this country. And I am declaring for the first time in Benue state because of my special relationship with them. People are merely not suspecting, but let it be known today that I am announcing it in Benue state because I have a special relationship with this state,” Wike was quoted as telling members of his party.
Responding to questions from journalists on what he was going to be doing differently if elected President, Governor Wike explained that he will pragmatically tackle the issue of insecurity.
He stated that Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies will be provided the requisite equipment and incentives to discharge their constitutional obligations.
According to him, they will also be given timeline to tackle the lingering insecurity as his administration will not be disposed to excuses.
“Today, you can’t talk about security in this country and you must understand that without security you can’t talk about governance. One first thing that anybody who takes oath of office sworn to, is that you must protect life and property. If you can’t protect life and property then you can’t talk about governance. So that major thing is that our people should be alive.”
The governor, who condemned the terrorists attack at the Kaduna International Airport over the weekend, said Nigerians urgently needs a leader who can address the growing insecurity in the country.
Wike assured that if elected, his administration will engender the rule of law in order to attract more direct foreign investment into the country.
According to him, disregard for the rule of law by the present federal government has been one of the banes of direct foreign investment in the country.
“Nobody can bring investment in this country because there is no respect for the rule of law. Nobody obeys court order. Who will come and invest his money when court gives its judgement and it will not be obeyed? So, I am going to run for election and victory will be ours.”
Governor Wike accused some presidential aspirants who have indicated interest for the party’s ticket as being responsible for PDP’S failure in 2015.
“Those who want to be president now were the problems of the party in 2015. They ran away when the party needed them most. But I have stood and worked for this party. I have nowhere to run to because I take it personal that the party should not die. And I challenge anyone in a debate what they did for PDP.”
The governor, while soliciting the support of delegates ahead of the PDP’s presidential primary, said he has all that is required to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Governor Wike stated that when some of those seeking to get the party’s ticket left to gang up with the founders of APC, he and others remained in the party and sustained it.