By Ogochukwu Isioma
The Rivers State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has described the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as the hero of the just concluded February 25, 2023 presidential election.
Wike said the decision of Obi to contest the presidential election primarily prevented the North from retaining power after the end of the eighth-year tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner.
The Rivers Governor gave the commendation during an interactive session with Technical Dealers Association of Nigeria, Computer Dealers Association of Nigeria, Phone Dealers Association and Building Materials Traders Association in Port-Harcourt, on Saturday.
According to a statement issued by Media Aide to the Governor, Kelvin Ebiri, he said Wike explained that contrary to insinuation that he did not support Obi, most people failed to realise that the LP standard bearer was his hero of the election.
“Obi is my hero. If Obi did not contest, power would have gone back to the North. The whole of South south and Southeast that PDP lost, if Obi did not contest PDP would have won,” Wike was quoted as saying.
“The hero of this election is Obi whether you like it or not. I am not here to please you, Obi is the hero. He may not have been pronounced as the winner, no problem, the law will take its course.
“If Obi did not run this election, power would have remained in the North. Whether he is declared a winner now or not, history will be on his side that he fought and fought well,” the Rivers governor added.
On why he did not openly declare support for any presidential candidate in the election, Wike said the PDP G-5 Governors had unanimously agreed to ensure the emergence of a president from the South to succeed President Buhari.