From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Nyesom Wike, has said the country’s economy would remain stunted until insecurity is resolved.
The governor said Nigeria is in trouble and requires a passionate and committed leader to pull it out of the brinks.
He stated this while addressing Nasarawa State PDP leaders and delegates in Abuja saying insecurity remained one of the most pressing challenges facing Nigeria.
He said insecurity had hampered investments and government’s revenue regretting that Nigeria is currently under siege. He, however, vowed that if elected president, he would tackle the issue of insecurity and subsequently grow the economy.
He urged PDP delegates to discard ethno-religious sentiments and vote him as he had the capacity and courage to resolve the country’s security challenges.
“If you say you want so and so person because he is from the North, the president today is from the North, there is hunger in the North, there is insecurity in the North, there is insecurity in the South, there is poverty in the South. There is insecurity in the West. So, all over Nigeria, nobody is safe. You’re not safe, I am not safe. It is not a question of where you come from, it is an issue of who can do this work, who can protect Nigerians. I am the one who can do it.”
Wike tasked PDP not to give its presidential ticket to a candidate who lacked the capacity to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I am running this election because I want us to win.”
The Rivers governor said he has remained a faithful member of PDP since 1998, and would not leave the party even if he failed to clinch its presidential ticket in the primary.
“I’ve done everything to safeguard and protect this party. I’ve never wavered one day. I’ve never out of anger say I will leave PDP.”
Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Walid Jubrin, commended Governor Wike for his steadfastness and unwavering commitment to the PDP.
Similarly, former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, lauded Wike for his sterling performance in Rivers State.