Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has called on Nigerians to rally around Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate who was declared as the president-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Wike, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the elections were over and everyone should rally round the winner.
He spoke today with reporters at the Defence House, Abuja when he went to visit Bola Tinubu. Wike was accompanied by Seyi Makinde, another PDP Governor from Oyo State.
It is indeed a surprising move for Nyesom Wike, to brazenly come out and support the candidature of Bola Tinubu of the APC. Wike could be seen bowing his head respectfully in total submission to Bola Tinubu.
Wike’s Support For Tinubu
In the presidential elections, it was alleged that Wike supported the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the winner of the elections in Rivers State, rather than Atiku Abubakar who is the presidential candidate of the PDP. This is the first time since the return of Democracy that a party other than the PDP will be winning any presidential election in Rivers State.
Recall that Wike and 4 other governors of the PDP had formed a G5 block to oppose the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar after Wike lost out in both the PDP presidential primaries and was overlooked for the vice presidential ticket of the party. That ticket went rather to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
Wike had also gone to court to prevent his suspension and possible expulsion from the PDP for his obvious anti-party activities.
The question now is what is Wike aiming at with his latest hobnobbing with the APC and Bola Tinubu? He could be looking for a ministerial appointment or he might be seeking the office of the Secretary of the Federal Government.
How he will pull this off and still remain a member of the PDP will be interesting to observe. It must be noted that the election results are heavily disputed by the opposition parties who have taken the matter to court.
