Wike: I have no problem with Atiku — interest of southern Nigeria is my concern

Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor, says he has no issue with Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate.

The governor said this on Tuesday when political associates and Rivers elders visited him at his residence to make his 65th birthday.

“I have no problem with the presidential candidate. All I am saying is what is the interest of Rivers people? What is the interest of the south-south and the south?” Wike asked.

“I don’t regret I ran for presidency. In the name of God, I am happy to make Rivers state proud. I am happy as far as I am concerned. If they had allowed it to be what it is supposed to be, I would have won the election. But it’s okay. It has happened.

“People said because I lost election; it doesn’t matter. I didn’t lose election. This is my first time of trying to run for the president of Nigeria and we made impact. If it is easy, let them go ahead. Are they not the ones begging?”

Over the past months, five PDP governors — Wike, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu — have been at the forefront of calls for Ayu to resign as the party’s chairman.

The call for Ayu’s resignation, according to the PDP stakeholders, is that the party’s presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region.

However, Ayu has maintained that he will not resign.

Amid the crisis, Wike and his allies pulled out of the PDP presidential campaign council.

Meanwhile, Wike’s latest comment comes days after Abubakar said he had done his part on resolving the crisis, and was awaiting the position of the Rivers governor.

“I have met Wike two times in Port Harcourt, two times in Abuja, one time in London — personally,” he said.

Speaking further on why the crisis was not yet resolved since both parties had met, Abubakar added: “It’s not on my part. It’s on the other side. I’m waiting.”