Governor Nyesom Wike has said he and his political allies will soon conclude talks on their preferred presidential candidate for the February 25 election.
Wike stated this during the inauguration of Ikwerre Local Government Area Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Omagwa yesterday.
The governor is the arrowhead of Integrity Group, a body comprising five PDP governors kicking against the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar as the opposition party’s presidential candidate.
Restating that Rivers is for PDP governorship, National Assembly, and House of Assembly candidates only, Wike vowed that the people would not allow themselves to be treated as “second-class citizens.”
“Nobody should intimidate you. Nobody should tell you any story. We are free-born in this country. We are not second-class citizens. Nobody can tell us anything. I dare them. Let anybody do any funny thing and we’ll tell them we are from Rivers State,” he told the gathering.
Wike told the people to be sure that all their votes are put in one basket in favour of candidates of the PDP in the state.
The governor said that the general election would not leave room for any form of manipulation and intimidation by security operatives.
He insisted that no blackmail would thwart the collective resolve of the people on whom to support with their votes.
The governor urged the people to be calm, adding that they would be notified of their presidential candidate once the talks with his allies are concluded.
Wike said: “This time, no army will do anything. No Fakorode will do anything. No police will do anything. Now, it is one man, one -vote. All the votes must be in one basket from the governorship to the House of Assembly. The other one we are concluding. When we conclude, you will be told.”