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From John Adams, Minna
The presidential ambition of the Rivers State Governor Nyeson Wike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) received a major boost on Saturday following his overwhelming endorsement by the Niger State chapter of the party.
The 98 delegates and other members of the party who gathered at the party secretariat in Minna, the Niger state capital said Governor Wike contributed immensely to the peace and stability of the party in the state in the aftermath of the crisis that engulfed the party during it Congresses.
Speaker after speaker at the meeting, including the former minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, former First Lady of the state Senator Zainab Kure, former deputy governor of the state Dr Zagbayi Shem Nuhu, former state and National Assembly members and other party stakeholders, spoke eloquently about Nyeson Wike and commended him for standing by the party in its hour of crisis.
According to them, ‘one good turn deserves another’ as a result their votes will go to the Rivers State Governor at the primary election slated for May 29.
The state chairman of the party, Mr Tanko Beji, who opened the floor for other members to contribute, said the people of the state have realised who their friend is, adding that ‘Governor Wike stood by us in our hour of need; it is payback time’, adding that ‘they never knew him but he came to their rescue”.
Apparently referring to the almost two years of crises the state PDP went through before a state Congress could be successfully held Beji said, ‘the issue is not where you come from or the tribe you belong but the ability to deliver.’
Beji said: ‘It is time to change the reward system, anyone that has worked diligently should be rewarded not abandoned as it used to be in the past.
‘As far as we are concerned we have learned our lesson we need a Nigeria president not a southern or northern president we have suffered enough we have learnt our lessons.’
Former Information Minister Professor Jerry Gana speaking in a similar vein described Governor Wike as: ‘The man who has the capacity and courage and ability to speak the truth to the power that be, this is the person that can win the election for the PDP.’
Earlier, Governor Wike had berated the federal government for granting pardon to former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau state and Reverend Jolly Nyame of Taraba state describing the action as totally against the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration .
According to Wike the federal government has by the action ridiculed the judiciary which took several years before convicting the two former governors and made nonsense of the anti-corruption crusade of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.
‘Buhari has messed up the judiciary, he has made nonsense of the activities of the EFCC, he has politicised his anti-corruption fight.’
Wike however promised not to leave the PDP even if he did not win the party’s ticket, promising to work with whoever emerged as the flag bearer of the party.
He was accompanied to the meeting by the former Governor of Gombe state Mr Hassan Dankwanbo, former Attorney General of the Federation Bello Adokie Senators George Sekibo and Olaka Johnson among others.
No fewer than 98 delegates from Niger state will be attending and voting at the PDP presidential primary.
