The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, listed conditions he may consider to align with those pushing consensus arrangement for the emergence of a presidential candidate for the 2023 elections among the aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party.
This is as he also alleged that those seeking a consensus PDP presidential candidate are not “sincere”, adding that he was ready to support whoever emerges as the presidential flagbearer of the party.
Wike stated this in Minna, Niger State, on Saturday, when he visited PDP delegates ahead of the main opposition party’s presidential primary.
He said that he will agree to consensus if it is based on equity, justice, and fairness.
The presidential aspirant added that he has been a member of the party since 1998 and that he has never left the party despite its turbulent season.
“I will agree on consensus if it is based on equity, justice, and fairness because as it is, those who are talking about consensus are not sincere and there is nothing like consensus in our constitution.
“Whoever emerges as the flagbearer, I will do whatever I can to ensure that the PDP wins the election”, he said.
Meanwhile, the governor faulted the state pardon granted to two former Governors convicted for corruption by President Buhari
While describing the pardon as a “disservice to the judiciary”, Wike said the Buhari regime’s anti-corruption war was selective.
I want to tell you that this government is very deceptive and they have deceived us enough. You have big people, you jail them after all the court proceedings and waste of money then you ridicule the judiciary and by granting them pardon,” He said.
He wondered how the international community is expected to have respect for a president that takes its judicial system for a joke.
“How will the international community look at us with these type of things we do. Look at the amount spent in the prosecutions and you wake up one morning and mess it up all because of politics”.
Wike also stated that the state pardon granted to former Governors of Plateau, Joshua Dariye, and his Taraba State counterpart, Jolly Nyame, is strategically done towards the forthcoming general election.
“He obviously wants them to help him during the elections, he wasn’t Dariye to help with Plateau while Nyame will work for Taraba. If it is not for election purpose, why did he not grant pardon to the likes of James Ibori and Atuche?