2023: Why I Might Withdraw From Presidential Race – Wike Opens Up

Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State, disclosed what will force him to withdraw from the presidential election in 2023 on Monday.

Wike claims that if the Peoples Democratic Party chooses to zone its presidential ticket to the north, he will lose his presidential bid.

Despite the agreement that power should be assigned to the South, he criticized some members of the party for exhibiting interest in the 2023 election.

In an interview with Channels TV, Wike stated that he would not back his friend, Aminu Tambuwal, who he endorsed in 2019, since the party’s ticket should be zoned to the south.

He said, “He (Tambuwal) is still my very good friend. In 2019, I supported Aminu Tambuwal because we zoned to the north. In 2017, all of us agreed that this should be zoned to the north and that was why nobody from the south collected forms for that election and I have no regret. What I do not like is for people to deny that there is no zoning or there should be no zoning. That is what I do not like.

“The provision of our constitution is clear under Section 7, Sub-section 3C, says there should be a rotation of party offices and elective offices. The founding fathers of the party know the complexity, they know the diversity of this country and they made sure that for equity, fairness and justice, this should be done.

“In our party, we have always done zoning, so you cannot stop zoning.”

Wike when asked if the zoning stops the likes of Abubakar Atiku, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal from contesting said, “There is nothing that can make me because of power violate simple agreement whether it is written or unwritten, that makes you a gentleman.

“Just like I am today, if the party says it is zoning it (ticket) to the north, I will not run; I will obey the party but what I don’t agree with is for people to say that there shouldn’t be zoning.”

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