2023:  Governor Wike woos Kaduna PDP delegates , donates N200m to victims of banditry 

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

Governor Wike who pleaded with the delegates to rally round him and give him 80 per cent of their votes, also donated N200million to victims of banditry and violent clashes in the State through the party.

Wike who was at the Kaduna State Secretariat of the party said, he was in Kaduna to plead that, 60 out of the 78 delegates from the State should vote for him, while the  rest 18 can be shared among other aspirants.

He noted that the party needs someone like him who can take back power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and rescue the country from the mess it found itself under the party.

While lamenting the situation residents of Kaduna state found themselves due to the activities of terrorists in the state, he promised  that it will be a thing of the past when he becomes the next president of the country.

According to him,” I am here today to say that this country needs rescue, we came here to say we must not take sentiment to 2023 election, we came here to tell you that what PDP requires now is to get somebody who is courageous, who can withstand this party and win this election in 2023, am not here to tell you that am just a mere presidential aspirant, I want to win election if you give me the ticket on 29 and 30 may 2022,

“It is no longer a story the situation our country found itself under APC, take for example with the state we are today, Kaduna state is one of the most peaceful state, people travel freely, no leader in the north will say that he does not have house in Kaduna state, people can leave Abuja 10 pm and come to Kaduna, when I was minister I came by road, but today what is happening, Kaduna has lost its glory and it is because of the inefficiency of those in the government”

“Every now and then, people are attacked, kidnapped, we cannot continue with that, there is all military formations in the state, yet it is still attack, whether you are on the road, at home, you are been attacked, kidnapped, so insecurity does not know wether you are Muslim or not, hunger and poverty do not know same, one thing is to note that any person who is taking office will take oath of office that you will protect lives and property, when you cannot protect lives and property, there is no more governance,” Wike said.

In his response, former Governor of the Kaduna State and one time National Caretaker Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said he would make Governor Wike President if he has the power due to his contribution to survival of the PDP during its trying moments.

According to Makarfi, “without collaborative efforts, PDP would not have been existing the way it is now, all these aspirations and declaration we are having today, we would have been doing it elsewhere. When the Court of Appeal judgement came out against us, and we knew we were right, everybody was running away.

“Then Governor Wike called me and asked me, are you ready for this fight? I said yes. He said, we are going to reclaim our party, what do you need? How do we go about it? And the rest is history. Yes, many other people contributed in so many other ways, but there is no single individual who contributed as he did for us to have the PDP that we have today.

“If it is appointment, and I have the power to appoint, I would simply just appoint you and you will go home and rest, but it is democracy, it is convention, the delegates know those who have been with them and will continue to be within them, the party people know.

“And I am vigorously working for it. Of all the investments  you have made, you are not sitting back at home to say because I did ABC and D, this should come to me, day and night, you are working for it, that shows commitment, that shows the real desire.

“I did not anticipate the enormous gesture you announced for the displaced and those affected by violence and banditry in Kaduna. We are positively shocked by the huge donation you have done to the state of N200million to help the victims of banditry. We have not seen a single kobo from anybody in this direction. You gave this through the party for respect you have for the party. We are happy to be the facilitators. We really appreciate you,” Makarfi said.