Nyesom Wike spoke to journalists shortly after landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa in the Ikwerre Local Government Area, on Friday, August 26, 2022.
The governor and his political allies, including Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, were said to be looking dapper as they stepped off the plane around 3.20 p.m.
Wike confirmed meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, during his trip to the United Kingdom.
He also stated that he and his team met with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in London.
Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, Wike stated that the top priority on his team’s agenda is to make Nigeria better than it is now.
The former presidential candidate stated that Nigeria is on its knees and that they are looking for solutions to restore the country’s enduring hope.
“I can confirm that this is the first time as a team that we are meeting with presidential candidates. We met with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC and we met with our leader, former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo.
“We met the presidential candidate of Labour Party. We also met with our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. For whatever it’s worth, consultation is ongoing. Whatever we are talking about, is for the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
“It is not parochial and tied to one person or group of persons. We believe that with what is going on, it will be for the interest of Nigerians at the end of the day.”
Wike also took a jab at a former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, presumably in response to the latter’s criticism of the Rivers governor in a recent interview.
Mustapha Lamido, Lamido’s son, is the PDP’s governorship candidate in Jigawa in 2023. Wike went on to condemn the situation in which standard, competence, and training have been relegated to mediocrity.
He stated that leadership should not be about one person and his family’s interests, but about the collective interest of everyone.
Gov. Wike continues, “Consultation is still ongoing. Never mind some people who do not believe in the existence of this country. Leadership is not about you and your family. Leadership is about everybody.
“It’s unfortunate that we are in a country now where a man finishes eight years as a governor and brings his own son as a governor too and as member of National Assembly.
“It’s only in this part of the world that you can see that, when we are talking about poverty everywhere. These are people who do not mean well for Nigeria.”
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“The only identity they have in this country is religion and ethnicity, nothing more. It’s either, I’m a Christian or I’m a Mowlem, I’m a Fulani or I’m an Igbo. Nigeria cannot move forward except they think it will be them. That’s where we are.
“We are in a country where someone with primary school certificate can be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. That tells you how bad this country has become. But with our consultation, all these will be a thing of the past. No amount of intimidation or blackmail will deter us. We are determined to right the wrong.”
