Ripples Over Wike’s Presidential Ambition
Edith CHUKU
Are there people who are angling to have the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023?
About the 25th of January this year, campaign posters with the inscription, “rescue Nigeria 2023 from insecurity, poverty, bandit and killing” bearing the name and picture of Wike flooded some major streets in Abuja.
Till date, even as the governor had accused ‘political detractors’ and ‘mischief makers’ as being responsible for the campaign posters, no one was identified to have produced or placed the posters.
Though the governor had said that he had not informed anyone that he was interested in The Presidency, yet accolades on his projects appears to be tilting towards that direction.
During the inauguration of the Okoro-Nu-Odo Flyover Bridge, a political gladiator who had described governor Wike as a trail blazer, also stated that his kind is “very rare to find in our country.”
While the governor believes that “this is certainly the handiwork of mischief makers who are threatened by the governor’s rising political profile. Political detractors will stop at nothing to see how they can distract Governor Wike’s visionary leadership.” There appears to be people who genuinely think that “with the way Wike has demonstrated leadership and spent state resources prudently for the good of Rivers people,” he will do better if given higher responsibility.
Recently, a member of the house of representatives had said that “ Nyesom Wike’s outstanding achievements amply recommend him for higher responsibilities in Nigeria; his effective management of state resources for execution of major projects already project him as a leading light in this dark moment of our democracy.”
He had stated that “beyond the on-going massive infrastructural development and various project commissioning which continue to attract the attention and presence of eminent leaders across the federation, Wike has positively impacted all sectors of the state’s economy while revolutions in the health, agricultural and education sectors, the strings of flyovers scattered all over strategic points in Port Harcourt to decongest a seemingly insurmountable traffic situation are clear attestation to what visionary and people-oriented leadership can do.
Speaking with TNN in an exclusive interview, national coordinator of PDP ex-councilors, Chief Prince-Weli Wosu had said “he has not told us that he wants to go for presidency, I don’t know why I should be talking about that, he has not said so, if he had indicated interest, we will now know, for now, I cannot speak for him.
“As a person, I can say he is qualified if given the opportunity, I know he will work, but he has not told me or the party that he will be going for that.” But is Wike actually ready to present himself for the contest?
