Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike has spoken about his meetings with the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, and a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in London, the United Kingdom.
He said the meetings which, according to him, were consultations were held ahead of next year’s general elections, stressing that they were in the best interest of the nation.
He stated this Friday at the VIP Lounge of the Port Harcourt International Airport upon his arrival in the country.
Wike also said consultations were still on as no concrete decisions had been taken, adding that the meetings dwelt on the need to rise above parochial interest and save Nigeria for future generations.
He, however, said, “What we are talking about is for the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians; it is not a parochial thing – being centred on a person or group of persons.”
“We believe that what is going on will be in the interest of Nigerians at the end of the day. Consultation is still on-going. Nothing we have said now has been concretised. Discussions are going on.”
He said nothing could deter his camp from “saving Nigeria from some leaders who only want to turn political offices into a family business.”
“Leadership is not about you and your family. Leadership is about everybody. Somebody finishes eight years as governor, he brings his own son to be governor, brings his son to go to the National Assembly?”
“It is only in this part of the world that you can see that when we are talking about poverty everywhere. These are people who do not mean well for Nigeria.”
However, he said he was optimistic that “with the consultations that are on-going, it will be a thing of the past.”
“No amount of insults, blackmail can deter us from doing the right thing. So, we are poised for it and there will be no going back.”
Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia states that were with him during his London trip also shared the same thoughts, stressing that the meetings were in the best interest of the country.
Wike has suddenly become the darling of political parties since his fall-out with Atiku over the choice of a vice-presidential candidate as other political parties had been jostling for his attention to boost their electoral fortunes.
