The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has commended the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for upholding rotational presidency and power shift to the South.
Wike, who spoke at the commissioning of Akpabu-Egbeda road in the Emohua Local Government Area (APC), on Friday, described himself as one of the apostles of power shift, saying the support for a southern president had nothing to do with political parties but the unity and oneness of Nigeria.
The APC’s Bola Tinubu was declared the winner of the presidential election on March 1, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, came second.
The Rivers governor, a member of the PDP, had refused to support Atiku’s campaign, saying the party’s constitution was against one region of the country producing both the presidential candidate and the national chairman.
“I thank and commend the people of Emohua local government for standing firm to support the southern presidency,” he said.
“I did say as one of the apostles of power shift, I maintain it has nothing to do about the party (sic). It has to do with the unity of Nigeria; it has to show the oneness of Nigeria.
“That is why I commend the APC governors who came out boldly to say despite the fact that they are in power, they said no, this country we are all one.”
According to Wike, the country must continue to be one, and if that is the case, power must shift to the South.
“I commend them [APC], so whether you voted for [Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter] Obi or you voted for Asiwaju [Tinubu], I have no problem with you, as far as you stood for the southern presidency,” he added.
Ahead of the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections, Wike urged the people to defend their polling units against bullying and snatching of ballot boxes.
The Rivers governor vowed that since he won “three over three” in the February 25 senatorial elections, he would also win the 32 assembly seats in the state.
