Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday visited the former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, in Kaduna.
Wike said his visit was not about his presidential ambition, to unite the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike said the PDP presidential ticket would not be given based on where the candidate comes from, on the capacity of the candidate.
Wike, who was received at the Kaduna residence of the former Governor, by Makarfi himself, former Governor Mukhtar Yero, former Deputy Governor Bajoga and other PDP leaders, said: “Nigerians are hoping that PDP will come and stop the country from bleeding, and they’ll not forgive the party leaders if they fail to chase out APC in 2023.
“The issue at stake now is not who wants to run for presidency or where to zone presidency, the issue now is that all party members must be united because if you like, zone presidency to the west, if you’re not united, you cannot achieve anything. So, the most important thing now is the unity of the party, forgive anybody who may have gone astray, bring back everybody and use your leadership qualities to forgive.
“When our party was in crisis, when Ali Modu Sheriff was to be used to kill our party, you (Makarfi) stood firm, committed and showed boldness and said I have no other place to go other than the PDP, he built the party from the shackles of Ali Modu Sheriff.
“There’s still time, you should recover fully so that you can be battle ready against them come 2023. I want to also urge all of you to be focused. In every family, there are bound to be problems, put yourselves together. Nigeria is bleeding and if we’re not united, Nigeria will not forgive us because every Nigerian is hoping that PDP must come and stop this bleeding.”
He however assured of his unwavering support whenever it is needed to move the party forward as the PDP is the only party in the country which has hope, adding, “The All Progressive Congress (APC) has finished Nigeria, they no longer have new ideas and if they had ideas, they did not use it.”
Responding, Makarfi said but for the solid support Wike gave when they were in the caretaker committee, there would not have been PDP, saying, “we played our role, but you played a key role.”
“I absolutely believe that with the same energy and perseverance, we can do it again. If there’s no party, what is the point of your ticket; therefore, we’ve to build the party first, we’ve to be united and when a consensus is decided, we should all have one voice.
“I agree with you that we’ll be disappointing Nigeria if we do not come together and take over power to recover Nigeria for Nigerians. We’ll not rest on our oars until we see the PDP in the overwhelming majority of states in power and at the center,” Makarfi said.
