Wike: Retaining Presidency In North Is Bad As Muslim-Muslim Ticket

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has told those who say that Nigeria is not ripe for a Muslim-Muslim ticket not to also justify and embrace the efforts at retaining the presidency in the North.

Governor Wike spoke on Sunday at the special dedication service for the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 General Election Campaigns Rallies, which was held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt.

Governor Wike maintained that those involved in such double-speak and trying to hoodwink some gullible few, know that they are insulting the sensibility of well-meaning Nigerians who want a united country that advances national cohesion.

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“You play on people’s intelligence; you say Nigeria is not ripe for Muslim-Muslim ticket, I agree. But Nigeria is ripe for the presidency to remain in one zone? I mean, just look at the insult. You blow hot and cold.”

Governor Wike urged those people who delightfully condemn the Muslim-Muslim ticket as wrong, should also know that Nigerians are also saying it is wrong to retain the presidency in the North after President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Most of you just sit there, you don’t ask yourselves questions. Somebody continues to sell this kind of cheap ideas. You don’t ask the person, I agree with what you are saying but look at what we are saying here.”

He further added, “Your party wants the presidency to go to the same zone where President Muhammadu Buhari is coming from. Who is cheating who?”

The Rivers State governor also spoke reminding the church of the need for it to participate in the voting process. However, he said, it should not get involved to the extent of serving as cannon fodder against any political party or political actor.

Governor Wike pleaded with the church to be careful and resist those politicians who come to mobilise them as if there is a religious war to wage.

“It is not now that politics have come, you want to come and tell the church a different story for your own personal interest. We have to be careful so that the church is not destroyed. Because, all of us, for example, we are Anglicans, I will not allow anybody, for his selfish interest to destroy the church of Nigeria. I will not allow that.”

Meanwhile, Governor Wike has warned that his administration will not allow those who in the past instigated wanton destruction of lives and property in the State under the guise of politics to repeat same.

Governor Wike appealed to members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the State to resist deliberate attempts by some disgruntled and inconsequential politicians to provoke them ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He described as ludicrous and cheap blackmail the allegation by Dr. Abiye Sekibo and some of his associates that the State government recently resent thugs to attack them.

“Some people are saying we sent thugs to attack them. You see, when people see failure, they will begin to plan excuses. These are people all of us know our background and how we have won election in our various local government. I remember one of them during the last election could not even go to his local government. He ran down to Port Harcourt and stayed with me. Instead of you to tell your principal, this will be difficult for me, you are giving excuses.”

The governor who emphatically declared that he has never engaged in any acts of political violence in all his political career, warn those who might be planning to plunge the State into chaos to a rethink.

“Anybody who knows me knows, that I have never been violent. If I am violent, I won’t go to court. But we know those who planted killings in this State when they were Secretary to the government. We know them, but that killing will not happen again in the State. We will not give you the opportunity to try it again.”