Wike: I’d end banditry in my first six months as president

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, says he would end banditry within six months if elected president. 

Wike said his administration would provide the logistics and equipment necessary for the security agencies to end banditry in the country.

The governor spoke on Saturday at a meeting with PDP delegates in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital.

Wike asked the delegates to consider him for the party’s presidential ticket, adding that he will prioritise the protection of the lives and property of every Nigerian.

“Once there is insecurity you can’t do anything. You must have peace for investors to come in, for people to set up industries. So the basic thing in my first six months as president of Nigeria is to end banditry,” he said in a statement released by Kelvin Ebiri, his media aide.

“All those bandits, let them wait for me. I will pursue them. It is my job. I will provide to security agencies whatever they require.”

Wike said he is not seeking the office of president for personal gains, noting that he is the only person that can defeat the APC in the 2023 general election if given the PDP presidential ticket.

The governor said he is the only presidential hopeful that has never defected from the PDP since its formation in 1998.

He said: “Today, we are suffering. We are in opposition. Who are those who plotted against us? Who are those who masterminded for us to lose the 2015 election?

“Today, we are crying that we are in opposition, today we are fighting how to take back power. Who are those people who took the power that PDP had and gave it to APC? You know them.”

He reiterated that he remains committed to the PDP and that “whether I win the ticket or not, I will never leave PDP”.

Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, asked the delegates to support Wike to actualise his presidential aspiration.