According to a report by The Nation, Governor Wike has shunned Obaseki, Shaibu and state party chairman.
The gulf between Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his Edo State colleague Godwin Obaseki widened yesterday with the former’s failure to pay a courtesy call on the later in Benin.
Wike, who was in the Edo State capital as part of consultation for presidential aspiration, saw neither Obaseki, nor his deputy, Philip Shaibu.
He also avoided the Edo secretariat of the party in Benin. The state Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, is Obaseki’s loyalist.
The relationship between the two Southsouth governors has been frosty in recent time over the control of the local chapter of the PDP in Edo State.
Obaseki and PDP National Vice Chairman (Southsouth), Dan Orbih, are locked in supremacy battle over who call the shots in Edo PDP.
Wike was hosted by Orbih, who, until his elevation to his present position, was the chairman of the party in the state.
Orbih was joined by his teeming supporters to host the Rivers helmsman to receive Wike, who held talks with Edo PDP delegates at the residence of a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP, the late Chief Tony Anenih.
He had earlier visited the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II.
Speaking at the palace, Wike promised, that if elected president, he would focus on curbing insecurity with massive investment in intelligence gathering.
He said economic activities, agriculture and investment in infrastructure can only thrive in a secured environment.
Wike said: “I was here (in Benin) one and a half years ago (ahead of the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State), as the Director-General of the campaigns for the re-election of Governor Obaseki. I am here today (yesterday), not on behalf of anybody, but of myself and my team to seek your prayers.
“I have come to Benin to talk to the delegates of our party (PDP) that will be part of our national convention on May 28 and 29.”
According to him, the opposition party needs a candidate with the capacity to take power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
He said: “What PDP needs now is to win election. It is about who has the capacity to face APC. I think, I am the one amongst all of us with such capacity.
“This party has given me everything and I owe it a duty to work for the party to make sure it takes over power in 2023. I have not left this party since 1998 and I am not going to leave the party.
“If we truly want to win this election, give me the opportunity, give me the ticket and wait to see what will happen in 2023. Giving me ticket means we are almost there. This excuse of our party losing election will end by using Wike as the candidate of the party.”
He said Nigeria required a leader with courage to steer her affairs and tackle the current problems of insecurity, and lack of growth in the economic sector.
Wondering how the nation’s economy could grow in an unsecured atmosphere, the governor said: “Who will come to invest in a country that is largely not secured and how would agriculture flourish when farmers cannot go to farm?
“The major thing in governance is the protection of life and property. Then you’ll see that all other things will follow.
“If people cannot go to school, if people cannot go out in the evening, then what is the essence of governance?”
Wike said that he was fully prepared for the office with the capability to assemble the best brains to provide leadership.
Rallying support for Wike, Orbih said: “I want to say that we need a president who will say it as it. For us today, Nigeria is sleeping, we need a Wike to wake Nigeria.”
The Oba of Benin said Wike has what it takes to govern the country, based on his impressive performance in Rivers State.
The monarch said: “Wike is our son, we love him and if I say so, I believe I am speaking on behalf of our ancestors. We will keep praying for him, so that he does not come across anybody that will mislead him, that will misinform him and may he and his family not come across harm.
Eyo Nse is a creative writer, blogger and a software engineer.
He is a simple individual who loves to see others succeed in life.
Mr Wisdytech as he is popularly known - started blogging in the early 2000's.
