Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said the process of selecting the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 election will be turbulent.
Wike, who spoke in an interview with a national television in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, said the process will not be easy.
“Let nobody come and tell you that in arriving at a presidential candidate that it will be easy. No way, it can never be. You know, there are two types of turbulence.
“There is turbulence that will not have a crash, which is a normal turbulence. There is turbulence that there will likely lead to a crash. Our own turbulence in PDP is the normal turbulence, which I believe we will get through it, but APC turbulence is a turbulence that is likely to lead to a crash.
“PDP has redeemed its position towards what Nigerians are expecting, because Nigerians are tired of what is going on in the country. So they need an alternative, and the only alternative as it is today is the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP),” he said.
Wike said as a firm and courageous person, who has “demonstrated selfless leadership” in Rivers, he will support a presidential candidate who will not mortgage the party.
“And so, if you want to run for presidency under PDP, I will not support somebody who’ll just want to bear the name of former presidential candidate, I will not agree to that. I must see that you are prepared for it, and to confront this evil called APC.”
Wike said he feels fulfilled that PDP got it right with its national convention, adding that there is a new competent National Working Committee (NWC).
He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that PDP governors forced an early convention on the party because they wanted sole control of the PDP.
According to him, any true party man will love a PDP that is stable, focus and forward-looking.
The governor maintained that already the new leadership of the PDP, waiting to be sworn in on December 9, 2021, has started engaging Nigerians and other party members on identifying what the problems are and how to address them.
“Nigerians are tired of the misrule of APC and will not allow their evil to continue beyond 2023.”
“Nigerians are waiting. Nigerians cannot have this type of evil come up again in 2023. We will be doing a disservice to Nigerians to allow this to continue,” he stated.
Speaking on how his successor will emerge, Wike reassured that the leadership of the party will meet to decide who to support at the appropriate time.
Wike maintained that he is obliged to ensure that PDP wins the 2023 governorship election, but he would not impose any candidate on the party.