The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Saturday he would support the zoning of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket to the Northern part of the country if such decision would guarantee the party’s success in 2023 election.
The governor, according to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, stated this during an interview with BBC Pidgin at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Wike, however, ruled out the possibility of supporting an All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in 2023 even if the person comes from the South-South.
He said the PDP leaders are still deliberating on the best option that would guarantee the party’s victory in two years’ time.
The PDP committee on the review of the 2019 general election headed by the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, had in its report recommended that the party should throw the 2023 ticket open to all the six geopolitical zones in the country.
The committee’s recommendation has attracted criticism from Nigerians with the apex Igbo socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, describing it as “unconscionable.”
But the Rivers State governor insisted that PDP is determined to wrest power from APC in 2023.
Wike said: “I am from the Southern part of Nigeria. I will be happy if power returns to the South, but if PDP will win the 2023 presidential election by zoning the presidential ticket to the North, I will not be opposed to it.”
“Even if President Jonathan is given the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket, he knows that I will not support him. I will not engage in anti-party. Even if he is from the South, I will not endorse him. What is paramount is my party’s interest.”
The governor said he would make public his next political move in July 2022.
