•Justifies meeting with Obi
•I’ll deliver my governorship candidate, Wike vows
•Ologbondiyan: Rivers gov too politically savvy to work against PDP
Chuks Okocha in Abuja, Emma Okonji, Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday, said the current state of Nigeria required that all hands must be on deck to salvage it from the precipice.
Ortom said this while justifying his recent meeting with the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and some other allies of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
But Wike has boasted that he would deliver his governorship candidate in the state, Sim Fubara, in the 2023 elections.
This is as a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has dismissed insinuations that Wike might work against the party in next year’s elections, saying he was too political savvy to make such false moves.
Ortom, who said he was open-minded about receiving any presidential candidate regardless of party affiliation, hinted as much on their Monday meeting while addressing journalists after returning from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Ortom said he couldn’t turn down a request to attend such meetings and that he did nothing wrong by meeting with Obi.
“At the end, the solution to the challenges of Nigeria is what matters. Where we are today calls for all hands to be on deck. I am free to receive any candidate who comes visiting or seeking audience with me. I cannot say no when such request comes.”
Obi on Monday, met with Wike, Ortom, Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko; former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; and former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwanbo, among others.
Wike: I’ll Deliver My Candidate in 2023
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, expressed readiness to ensure that the governorship candidate of the PDP in the state, Sim Fubara, succeeded him in the 2023 elections.
Wike, who maintained that the Rivers people would not support any person without development agenda to preside over the state spoke at the inauguration of the remodelled Waterlines House in Port Harcourt, performed by former Kogi State governor, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim.
Wike maintained that the people of Rivers State were pleased with the infrastructure and human development strides of his administration and would vote massively for the PDP candidates in the state in next year’s general election.
He alleged that some of the candidates in other political parties aspiring to succeed him had no agenda for the state and vowed not to allow the state to go astray and be taken over by those whom he said were only interested in advancing their selfish ambitions.
“I thank all Rivers people for the support you have given us, for the prayers you are offering on our behalf. I will continue to let you know that we will not let you down. We will continue to do the best for Rivers and that is why we also tell you to listen to us. We will tell you those to vote for, because I will tell you who is who.
“There are those who just want to be governor, but they have no agenda. And in any case, why will you change a winning team that has given you all these. I will not allow this state to go astray, to fall into the hands of armed robbers.
“I will give accounts and that account I am going to give is that Rivers State, you gave me opportunity, see what I have done. I have defended Rivers State. I have challenged the country in so many things that were against the interest of this state. I will never sell this state for one Kobo,” he said.
Ologbondiyan: Wike Too Politically Savvy to Work against PDP
However, allaying fears that Wike could quit the PDP, Ologbondiyan stated insisted that the Rivers governor was too mature to form an alliance that would be detrimental to PDP’s chances during the 2023 presidential election.
The former PDP spokesperson explained that, Wike was politically matured and more politically savvy to hobnob with opposition parties and form an alliance that could affect PDP’s electoral fortune during next year’s elections.
Speaking on The Morning Show the Arise TV, he added that the party was working frantically to put its house in order and resolve its internal crisis.
Asked about Wike’s meeting with opposition political figures, Ologbondiyan said the governor was at liberty to associate with politicians from other camps as such was within his rights.
According to him, “I know it and I believe that Governor Nyesom Wike is savvier politically to go and put the life of his own political machinery into an arrangement that will stop its candidates from winning elections. I know he will not do a thing like that and I am very confident about that.
“I know it as a fact that Governor Samuel Ortom is contesting for Senate in Benue and the senate and presidential elections come up on the same day and same time.
“I know Governor Ikpeazu has senatorial interest too. So, you think that they would sit down as politicians and cede out that to a party that they don’t have conviction about its performance? That is not the way politicians do their thing and I am sure of that.”
Continuing, Ologbondiyan said, “He (Wike) is at liberty to associate with them (opposition politicians). It is until Governor Wike picks APC or other political parties’ membership cards then we can conclude he has left the party. Until then, he remains a member of PDP.
“For us, in the party, what is important is how we will win the 2023 election. What is important to us as a party is how we will relieve Nigerians from the burden of APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Well, there is so much hysteria in the public space over what Governor Wike is doing; how PDP will survive and all that. But there are ways that politics work and there are things that you see in politics that hardly border you.
“Because there are interests that are stronger than what you are seeing in the public. First, what is strange about Governor Wike inviting people from the opposition parties to come and commission projects? He has been doing that and I can recall that he once invited Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Rochas Okorocha and in all these instances, there were no issues about if Governor Wike was going to APC.
“The discussion then was that he was trying to attract these people to come and join the PDP. So, he has not done something far from what he has been doing before. But, having said that, you talked about Peter Obi going to Rivers State and hobnobbing with PDP governors and Wike, we must recall that prior to that meeting, Peter Odili celebrated his 74th birthday and people were there. So, it is not strange.
“And it won’t be a surprise if Peter Obi on his own consider it necessary to meet up with Wike, because he (Peter Obi) is looking for votes and he can go to anybody. That is what politicians do when they are looking for votes,” he added.
