Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was said to have shunned the Edo State government house during his meeting with the People’s Democratic Party delegates ahead of the party’s convention for the selection of its 2023 presidential candidate.
Wike’s refusal to visit his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, is said to be connected with the lingering differences between them.
While he also failed to visit the state party’s secretariat, he visited the palace of the Oba of Benin.
He later met with the party’s delegates at the residence of the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, late Chief Tony Anenih.
At the palace of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Wike said if elected as president, he would address insecurity with massive investment in intelligence gathering, saying that businesses could thrive only in a secured environment.
He said, “I was here one and a half years ago as the Director General of the campaign for the re-election of Governor Obaseki but I am here today not on behalf of anybody but of myself and my team to seek your prayers.
“I have come to Benin to talk to the delegates of our party that will be part of our national convention by May 28th and 29th. The way our country has fared, Nigeria needs somebody that will see white and say it is white and will see black and say that it is black. If the PDP gives me the ticket, I have enough experience to tackle Nigeria’s mirage of problems having been a local government chairman, Minister of State overseeing Education and now governor.
“The major issue confronting Nigeria today is insecurity and without security no other activity can function and what we need to tackle insecurity is intelligence gathering which is lacking, we are not going to sit down and give excuses but we will take action and spend resources to gather intelligence”
The Oba of Benin said, “Wike is our son, we love him and if I say so, I believe I am speaking on behalf of our ancestors. We will keep praying for him so that he does not come across anybody that will mislead him, that will mis-inform him and may he and his family not come across harm.
“We must continue to hold on to our traditions and customs because of its superiority over others.”
