6th April, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Wednesday had a closed door meeting with other aspirants jostling for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) along with him in Port Harcourt.
Aspirants at the closed door meeting with Wike who has also been canvassing support for his 2023 president aspiration on the platform of PDP were Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, and the former Managing Director of FSB International Bank, Dr Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Wike said the interest of the presidential aspirants is to ensure that there is unity in the PDP.
He added that the aspirants also share a common aspiration of making Nigerians happy by developing a formidable strategy that will enable the PDP coast to victory in the 2023 presidential election.
“Our interest is the unity of the party. Our interest is to make Nigerians happy by making sure that by 2023, PDP takes over the reins of government because Nigerians are patiently waiting.
“And I can assure you that we are going to work as a team to make Nigerians happy.”
On his part, the leader of the delegation, Senator Bukola Saraki said their discussion was on identifying the best available way in ensuring that there is unity within the party and among the various presidential aspirants.
According to him, all the aspirants are aware that Nigerians now look up to the PDP as the only option that will provide the needed direction for the country.
“We are here to have a discussion and we just finished talking about how best way for us to reunite our party, bring unity among all those who are aspiring to lead this country under PDP.
“We all realize the importance of this and PDP is the only option ready to redirect this country in the right direction and bring progress and provide a better future for our people.
“We have been to some of the other states and today we are here with Governor of Rivers State, a key stakeholder of this party to discuss frankly.
“He has given us his views and made some suggestions and we will continue to work with that as we move away from here. But the key thing is unity, the key thing is to put the country first and put the party first.”
Wike had in the past few weeks been going around the country soliciting for support from stakeholders for his presidential aspiration.
It would be recalled that just yesterday,the Presidential zoning committee of the PDP threw away the idea of zoning the party’s ticket to any zone.
It directed all aspirants to go on the field to campaign for their aspirations.