The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has distanced himself from the report that he has been chosen as the running mate of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.
Wike on Tuesday while charging Nigerians not to believe the report, noted that the South is yet to release a statement on the zoning of the presidential ticket of the PDP.
There had been reports that the Rivers State Governor has been selected to run alongside Atiku.
He further stated that the region can’t be seen as a liability, adding that when the South decides, the whole world will know that “we are not joking”.
Wike stated this during an interactive session with some stakeholders at the Government House Port Harcourt.
He said, “Please discountenance all those things you are hearing. The south will make a statement very soon.
“The day the south makes a statement Nigerian will know that we’re not joking.
“What is necessary is to make sure that the party gets it right.
“We are assets, we are not liabilities. If we say we are going to support the party we will do it with everything we have.
“We are not in America where they do television campaigns no it’s not done here.
“When we come out we will choke them.
“So everybody should relax let the south do their proper homework and they will make a statement that will be beneficial to Nigerians and the PDP”.
Wike condemned the former Chairman of DAAR Communications, Raymon Dokpesi for asking Nigerians to forget zoning and claiming that Atiku will hand over to the South-East after one term.
The PDP chieftain said, “At the level of Dopkesi, he said he is a high chief; going to television to tell people that there is no to zoning. I can’t believe this. Even if somebody is to say it. Is he the one to say it?
“And he has arrogated the power of the party to himself saying when Atiku wins, he will hand over to the South East. Is that not the decision of the party? So the party cannot take a decision at all, Dokpesi has zoned it”.
