Nigeria: Wike Woos Ondo Delegates, Says Nigeria Needs 'Fearless Leader'

Mr Wike said he would not be happy with the party leaders if he got only got 80 per cent of the delegate's votes and not all the votes from the state.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says he is the most courageous and selfless leader to tackle Nigeria's problems.

Mr Wike stated this on Monday in Akure, when he visited the PDP Secretariat to woo delegates ahead of the party's primary election scheduled for May 28 and May 29.

He said the delegates knew he had the best chance to win the election for the party.

Mr Wike said Nigeria needs a courageous and selfless leader to end insecurity and stop all the killings in the land.

He added that he would not be happy with the party leaders if he got only got 80 per cent of the delegate's votes and not all the votes from the state.

"I am here to make myself available to you. I want to run for the office of the president. Not that I only want to run, I want to win this election for the PDP.

"Many of us know what it takes to win election. If you look at all the aspirants, you will see that I have the chance of winning the election for the PDP.

"You need a courageous leader; you need a fearless leader; you need a leader who can stand and say white is white and black is black; a leader who can say insecurity is enough in this country.

"Nigeria has never been divided like this since this country was created. You require somebody that will say no more to this insecurity and I am the one that has the capacity to stop it.

"Let nobody come here to deceive you. They'd say they have been running businesses; they'd say they worked in an oil company; all those things don't work in governance. Personal business is different from running government," he said.

Mr Wike added that he had been tested and everybody knew he spoke his mind any day and at any time, urging the delegates not to sell their votes.

The Rivers governor's visit to Akure comes as other PDP aspirants traverse the southwest seeking the nod of the region's delegates ahead of the PDP primaries later this month.

Last weekend, former vice president Atiku Abubakar was in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, and Oyo states to convince the delegates to support their aspiration.

Former senate president Bukola Saraki had also visited Ogun State to seek the delegates' support.

Appreciating Mr Wike, the state party chairman, Eyitayo Jegede, noted that in the 2020 election, Mr Wike stood by the state effectively and was sure of his abilities as he had inaugurated many projects in Rivers.

Former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, said many aspirants had been to Ondo State to talk to the delegates, but Mr Wike stood out.

He noted that 2023 was all about the collective destiny of Nigerians and urged Nigerians not to joke about it.

Also present at the event was the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.

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