The governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike, stated that the state has not made up its mind over its support for the 2023 presidential election.
The Governor also criticized Dr. Abiye Sekibo, a former minister of transportation and director of the rivers, stating he lacked the authority to speak on behalf of the state’s residents.
Wike predicted that the 2023 general elections would be won by the Rivers PDP governorship candidate as well as by every candidate for the House of Representatives, Senate, and House of Assembly.
He did however admit that the State has not yet decided how to proceed with the presidential election.
“PDP will win our State. I am not hiding it as far as the governorship, House of Reps, Senate and State Assembly are concerned. The other one we have not decided until the right thing is done,” he said.
Wike characterized Sekibo as a self-centered politician who, while serving as a minister, was unable to bring any sort of democratic dividends to the state or his hometown of Okirika.
The governor gave a speech on Monday at Government House in Port Harcourt during the installation of 319 ward and 32 constituency liaison officers.
Wike said: “I watched a video when one Dr. Abiye Sekibo, while he was addressing people in his house on Sunday, said he is the director of Atiku’s Supporters in Rivers. I have no problem about that. But he does not have that capacity to speak on behalf of Rivers State.
“In that video, he said that River State has been having a close relationship with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and that Rivers State has always benefitted from Atiku Abubakar. I want to correct one impression, Dr. Abiye Sekibo has a personal relationship with Alhaji Atiku, not Rivers State.
“Dr. Abiye Sekibo was Minister of Transport when Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was the Vice-President of Nigeria. Can you people mention one project in Okrika, I don’t even want to talk about Rivers State, in Ogu/Bolo, one project that he brought down to Rivers State. Is there anyone?”
According to Wike, effective leadership is about serving the people, defending their interests, and developing others into capable successors rather than pursuing personal glorification.
Dr. Sekibo should have remained mute in public for his failure as a leader, according to the governor, who said that people like him are among those who are never pleased with the fortunes they have received in life.
He said: “I was a Minister, junior Minister in that matter. But I am proud to say anywhere I go to in this state (Rivers) ,I brought dividends of democracy to Rivers state.
“As a junior Minister, I brought the Oil and Gas Polytechnic to Rivers State which is sited in Bonny. There was no Faculty of Law at the University of Port Harcourt since the creation of that institution, but I brought it.
“As a Minister, I made sure Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic and the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, even if they are State’s institutions. I made sure they got grant of N500m each.”
Wike also spoke about the numerous educational initiatives he carried out at the elementary and senior school levels that exemplified what true leadership should be.
