From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has said his team was more interested in a better Nigeria, and was consulting widely with those who mean well for the country. Wike spoke when he interacted with journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport, shortly on arrival from London on Friday.
He was with the governors of Benue and Abia states – , Samuel Ortom and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, respectively. Governor Wike, who confirmed their meetings with Peoples Democratic Party, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo in London, explained that topmost on the agenda was how to make Nigeria better than what is it currently. The Rivers State governor noted that all is not well with Nigeria and they were seeking remedies that would restore enduring hope in Nigeria.
“I can confirm that this is the first time as a team that we are meeting with presidential candidates. We met with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC and we met with our leader, former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo.
“We met the presidential candidate of Labour Party. We also met with our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. For whatever it’s worth, consultation is ongoing. Whatever we are talking about is for the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. It is not parochial and tied to one person or group of persons. We believe that with what is going on, it will be for the interest of Nigerians at the end of the day.” Wike said leadership should not be about one individual and the interest of his family, but about the collective interest of everybody.
“Consultation is still ongoing. Never mind some people who do not believe in the existence of this country. Leadership is not about you and your family. Leadership is about everybody. It’s unfortunate that we are in a country now where a man finishes eight years as a governor and brings his own son as a governor too and as a member of National Assembly.
“It’s only in this part of the world that you can see that, when we are talking about poverty everywhere. These are people who do not mean well for this Nigeria.”
Governor Wike also wondered why religion and ethnicity are used as the tenable identity to describe Nigerians when competence is required.