2023: I’ll not abandon PDP – Gov Wike breaks silence
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has declared political support for Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“I made a vow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that I will support whoever emerges from the #PDPPresidentialPrimaries,” Mr Wike said in a statement posted on Facebook and Twitter, on Monday. “And I am not going to go back on my word.”
“We cannot abandon the PDP, we will be fully supporting Atiku Abubakar,” said the governor who lost the PDP presidential primary on Saturday to Mr Abubakar, a former vice president of Nigeria.
This is the first time Governor Wike is making a public statement after losing the primary.
The statement came a few hours after Mr Abubakar visited Mr Wike in Abuja, apparently to appeal for support from the Rivers governor.
Mr Abubakar scored 371 votes to defeat Mr Wike, who came second with 237 votes.
A former president of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki came third, with 70 votes, while the Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel, came fourth, with 38 votes.
Political analysts believe Mr Wike could probably have scored more votes if not for the last-minute withdrawal of the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, from the primary.
