The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has given kudos to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for the role he played in the victory of its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in Rivers State.
Governor Wike, running his second term in office, was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
In return for the favour done by Wike, the APC PCC said the party will back the PDP candidate for the March 11, 2023 governorship election in Rivers State, Siminialaye Fubara.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the APC for the campaign in the state and a member of the party’s PCC and Independent Campaign Council in the state, Tony Okocha, revealed these on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Okocha said but for the support of Wike, Tinubu would not have had up to 25 per cent of the votes in Rivers State.
The Eagle Online recalls that Rivers State was one of the last three that enabled Tinubu garner the required 25 per cent spread across 24 States of the Federation as required by the laws despite having the majority of votes.
Okocha said: “We note seriously and unashamedly that in 2015 we held the rims of governance in Rivers State as members of the APC.
“We pulled together all efforts individually and collectively, yet we couldn’t secure 25 per cent of the total votes cast for the presidential candidate of our party during the presidential election.
“It was worse in 2019 when we all still working together with a Super Minister, security apparatchik and malleable election personnel, we couldn’t produce the required 25 per cent for our presidential candidate.
“But in 2023, against all expectations, APC Rivers won and secured over 40 per cent of the total votes cast for the presidential candidate of our party.
“Of tremendous note, is to put on records, the role of Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, a leading member of the G5 Governors (Integrity Group), who not only threw his heavy weight in political maestro and ‘mannerism’ in support of the APC candidate, but encouraged Rivers people to vote the man who will protect the Rivers interest for the President of Nigeria.
“This to say the least, was the game changer.
“Thank You, Governor Wike, the political bulldozer.”