Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday condemned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirants who are opposed to the use of Port Harcourt as venue for the party’s National Convention October 5 and 6.
The Governor said such aspirants are against the economic interest of the state and Niger Delta.
He also argued that it showed that such aspirants are not committed to their claims on restructuring of the country.
The 13 aspirants for the presidential ticket are divided over the choice of Port Harcourt for the convention to elect its presidential candidate on October 5 and 6.
But Wike who described opposition to Port Harcourt as strange said, “Those who are against the PDP convention holding in Port Harcourt don’t have the the economic interest of Rivers and Niger Delta at heart.
“If you are telling the people of the state and by extension Niger Delta that you don’t want such event to hold in their domain as an aspirant, how will you act when you become a president? How do you expect the people you are telling that you don’t like their state to vote for you during the election?”
“Why are they not acting in tandem with their campaign for the restructuring of Nigeria? From their opposition to Port Harcourt, it means the restructuring campaign is a mere lip service”.
The Governor also promised that all the aspirants will enjoy a level playing field, insisting that the choice of Port Harcourt is not meant to give any aspirant an edge over others.
“Every aspirant will be given a level playing field.
“Holding the convention in Port Harcourt does not mean anybody will have undue advantage. What it will do for the state is that it will boost its local economy because groundnut, sellers of water in satchets and food vendors will have more sales. Hoteliers will also record increased business.
“That is the only thing Rivers State stands to gain from holding the convention in Port Harcourt. And anybody who is against Port Harcourt hosting the event does not like the state. He is against the economic interest of the state.”
Wike added that the person who will emerge the candidate of the party will emerge on the basis of his political clout and not on any other consideration.
The Governor however advised that what PDP members need at the moment “is not to bicker over the choice of convention venue but to work in unity to achieve the goal of the party which he said is to wrest power from the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We need to work together, we don’t need any division at this moment. Our goal must be to win in 2019.”