Okafor Ofiebor /Port Harcourt
As the Peoples Democratic Party PDP holds what political observers regard as a make-or-mar national convention in Adokyie Amasiameka stadium in Port Harcourt, on Saturday, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who also doubles as the host has become a bride being courted feverishly by the presidential aspirants.
Governor Wike who has in recent times provided the war chest needed to rebuild the party after it suffered a shocking and totally unexpected defeat in the 2015 presidential election to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
He also became a willing host to vital PDP stakeholders’ meetings.
His profile rose further when, against all odds, he was able to wrestle the postion of the National Chairman of PDP earlier zoned to the South West by leaders of the party to the South South geopolitical zone.
He also ensured that one of his sidekicks, Uche Secondus emerged as the chairman of the party.
With the party structure nearly fully under his control, Wike is now being courted ahead of tomorrow’s National Convention of the party where delegates will elect one among the over a dozen presidential aspirants seeking to fly the flag of PDP against the ruling APC’s President Muhammadu Buhari in the presidential election already scheduled for February 2019 by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
While that Wike has become a beautiful bride ahead of the Convention, some sources in Port Harcourt told our correspondent: “Some Presidential Aspirants have sent their foot soldiers to Port Harcourt ahead of the Convention to get the ears of the Governor. So far, he is playing hard to get and he is tactfully keeping the Aspirant of his choice to close to his chest until the eleventh hour.
“Recall the case of the botched PDP convention during the ill-fated tenure of Senator Ali Modu-Sherrif as Caretaker Committee National Chairman? Wike and Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State were blamed for crisis. He is trying to be careful in order not to fall the apple cart. But it should be noted that some of aspirants offered him vice presidential slot to woe him.”
Wike had insisted that the National Convention must hold in Port Harcourt, contrary to suggestions from some members of Board of Trustees of PDP.
The suggestion for another venue was based on fears that the Rivers Governor may utilize home advantage to rig the election in favour of his preferred choice among the aspirants.
But Wike had threatened the presidential aspirants, warning them of ‘dire consequences’ if the National Convention was moved from Port Harcourt to somewhere else.
Wike said: “Those who are against the PDP convention holding in Port Harcourt don’t have 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.”
Wike has also insisted that the choice of Port Harcourt is not meant to give any aspirant an edge over others.
He said: “Every aspirant will be given a level playing field. That it is holding 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, sachet water sellers and food vendors will have more sales. Hoteliers will also record increased business.
“That is the only thing Rivers State stands to gain from the holding of 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.”
He called on all PDP members to work together to wrest power from the APC, instead of bickering over the choice of convention venue.
He said: “We need to work together; we don’t need any division at this moment. Our goal must be to win in 2019.”
The leadership of the party bowed to pressure from Wike and agreed that the National Convention should be held in Port Harcourt.
Ahead of the Convention, major hotels in the state capital have been fully booked by delegated.
Lobby groups of various presidential aspirants have been on ground to reach out delegates and their leaders in their respective hotels.
Security has been beefed up in around the venue and Obiri-Ikwerre-Prof. Tam David West road leading to the stadium.
One of the presidential aspirants, Senator David Mark has issued a statement through his media aide, Paul Mumeh cautioning the leadership of the party to ensure that there is transparency in the choice of the presidential candidate in order not to cause any acrimony in the party after the Convention.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Northern youths within the PDP has accused the leadership of the party of conniving with Wike, to rig the presidential primaries of the party by moving the convention to Port Harcourt.
In a press statement signed by its convener, Honourable Awwal Dahiru, the group alleged that the plot by the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee is to move the convention to Port Harcourt to enable Governor Wike install his preferred candidate.