2019: I won’t vie for Vice President position, says Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has put to rest speculations making the rounds in certain quarters that he would contest the position of Vice President in the 2019 general elections.

Speaking during the visit of the Osasu Show organisation at Government House, Port Harcourt on Thursday, Governor Wike said though some of the presidential aspirants seeking his support had offered him the position of Vice President in the course of political consultations, he declined and insisted that the interest of Rivers State was paramount.

Governor Wike said: “There are aspirants who have promised me the position of the Vice President, but I said I will not seek the position.

“Not even in the dream will I seek that position at this point. I am a first term governor and the National Chairman of PDP is from my State and the South-South.

“These are mere allegations. People can carry rumours, but everything I will do, will be in the interest of Rivers State. Nobody can use Rivers State as a tool. They did that in the past, but not anymore,” he clarified.

Governor Wike said that the decision to host the October 5 and 6, 2018, National Convention in Port Harcourt was initiated without his knowledge, adding that he eventually attended a meeting where governors and presidential aspirants ratified the resolution.

He expressed surprise that a few presidential aspirants who never opposed the decision to host the National Convention in Port Harcourt, had turned around to sponsor reports against the venue of the convention.

He said: “I am shocked that a few Presidential Aspirants who never opposed Port Harcourt as a venue would begin the sponsorship of media attacks on the venue of the convention, which was not initiated by us.

“When we say that there are moles amongst the Presidential Aspirants, this is one of the manifestations. A decision that is collectively taken is being contested through clandestine sponsorship.

“But if they want, the National Convention can be held at Maiduguri, Yola, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano or any other city. A presidential aspirant that would lose would lose.

The governor stated that all the national delegates that would vote at the National Convention would emerge from the different local government areas of the country and from the statutory delegates list.

He said that none would be elected in Port Harcourt, adding that it was uncharitable to attempt to create the impression that hosting it in Port Harcourt would influence the outcome.

Commenting on the Lagos State political rift between Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his godfather, Asiwaju Tinubu, Governor Wike advised Ambode to resist the godfather.

He said: “If it is correct that the godfather is against Ambode, I will tell him (Ambode) to resist it. I will tell him to promote the interest of his state. Godfatherism is not good. It negates development.”

Governor Wike said that in Rivers State, the immediate past Governor allegedly sold State Assets to his business partner, only to turn around to anoint the business partner to contest for the governorship position of the state.

“No more godfather politics in Rivers State. We are not in Lagos State. Rivers State will not accept godfatherism. My concern is to do well for Rivers State.

“For the over three years that we have managed Rivers State, nobody of good conscience will say that we have not done well. We are not threatened because in Rivers State, PDP is a dominant party,” he said.