2023: Jonathan knows I’ll work against him if he gets APC ticket, says Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says ex-President Goodluck Jonathan knows that he will not work for him if the latter clinches the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election.

There have been reports of the ruling APC stalwarts wooing Jonathan for the next general election.

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Speaking at an interview in Port Harcourt, Wike ruled out the possibility of supporting any APC presidential candidate, even if the person is from Rivers.

However, he said if zoning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket to the North will make the party win the 2023 general election, he will go with the decision.

The Rivers state governor explained that the reason why the PDP has not taken a final decision on whether its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election should be from the North or South of the country is because stakeholders are still strategizing the best options that will guarantee the party’s victory in the polls.

He said the PDP is keen to take over the realm of power in 2023 and is not in a hurry to give the APC a glimpse of its strategy to wrest power from it at the next general election.

“I am from Southern part of Nigeria. I  will be happy if power returns to the South, but if PDP will win the 2023 presidential election by zoning the presidential ticket to the North, I will not be opposed to it.”

“If President Jonathan is given the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket, he knows that I will not support him. I will not engage in anti-party activity. Even if he is from the South, I will not endorse him. What is paramount is my party’s interest.”

Governor Wike affirmed that if President Jonathan secures PDP presidential ticket, Rivers State will overwhelmingly support him.

The governor declared nothing will make him defect to the APC which he described as cancerous.

According to him, the APC has ruined the Nigerian economy and only PDP can pull Nigeria out of the brink of socio- economic collapse.

He said his the next decision on his political future will be taken by July 2022 when he must have completed all the projects started by his administration.

On the relationship with the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, the governor said God had used him to enthrone the minister as governor of Rivers State in 2007.