Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has returned home and confirmed he met Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic {Party (PDP), Peter obi of Labour Party (LP) and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo in Europe.
Wike however said the meetings were part of broad-based consultations to find solution to Nigeria’s many problems.
Addressing newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa, the Rivers governor who is seen as a strong and controversial politician, said the meetings were not for personal or group interest but for the good of Nigeria.
Wike is courted by the top flag-bearers and he has been having turns of meeting with them, but the one with Atiku is the first.
It is not clear why Wike is meeting with Obasanjo who is not a flag bearer, but is seen to have the ears of the elders of the land such as Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubabakar.
Wike returned to Port Harcourt in the company of his close allies, the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom; and Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.
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He said: “I can confirm that this is the first time as a team that we are meeting with presidential candidates. We met with the presidential candidate of the APC and we met with our leader, former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. We met the presidential candidate of Labour Party. We also met with our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. For whatever it’s worth, consultation is ongoing.
“Whatever we are talking about, is for the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. It is not parochial and tied to one person or group of persons. We believe that with what is going on, it will be for the interest of Nigerians at the end of the day.”
He talked about need to give Nigeria a well trained and competent leader, but did not explain why a partisan aspirant has suddenly turned into a multi-partisan and broad-based coalition.
He preached patriotism and said leadership should not be about one individual and the interest of his family, but about the collective interest of everybody.
In his response, the leader of the team and Benue State governor, Ortom, noted that they met with renowned persons in the last few days because of their belief that Nigeria was in distress and required concerted effort to rescue it.
“This is beyond partisan politics. We are looking on how we can come together and find a way of ensuring that Nigeria survives. Nigeria is on drip, Nigeria is on oxygen and it is about how can we get out of this,” Ortom no longer sees eye to eye with President Muhammadu Buhari stated.
On his part, Okezie of Abia State emphasised that they were on a mission and were determined to find a way of rescuing Nigeria.
