Wike declares presidential bid, says ‘I will take power from APC back to PDP’

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has declared his intention to contest the presidency in the 2023 general election.

Wike announced his decision on Sunday when he visited Benue to consult stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state over his ambition to run for the presidency.

The Rivers governor expressed confidence that PDP would win the presidency in the next election.

“If you’re running in an election, power isn’t given for free; it is taken. I have come out and I’m going to take this power from APC back to PDP by the grace of God,” he said.

“God has given us what it takes. That’s why God is making APC to make mistakes everyday and that is how you know that God is with you.

“Let me thank the people of Benue for receiving me to come and talk to them. I am declaring for the first time in Benue state because of my special relationship with them. People are merely not suspecting, but let it be known today that I am announcing it in Benue state because I have a special relationship with this state.

“Today, you can’t talk about security in this country, and you must understand that without security, you can’t talk about governance.

“One first thing that anybody who takes oath of office is sworn to, is that you must protect life and property. If you can’t protect life and property, then you can’t talk about governance. So, that major thing is that our people should be alive.”

He also said disregard for the rule of law is affecting inflow of investment into the country.

“Nobody can bring investment in this country because there is no respect for the rule of law. Nobody obeys court order. Who will come and invest his money when court gives its judgment and it will not be obeyed. So, I am going to run for election and victory will be ours,” he added.

Wike, who said he has what it takes to win the election, said he had stood with the PDP when many members “ran away”.

“Those who want to be president now were the problems of the party in 2015. They ran away when the party needed them most,” he said.

“But I have stood and worked for this party. I have nowhere to run to because I take it personally that the party should not die. And I challenge anyone to a debate on what they did for PDP.”

Also present at the event was Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue.