Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared his intention to run for the presidency, raising the number of contenders who have indicated interest for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s ticket so far to eight.
At the last count, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and two ex Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim have declared for the race.
Others include former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed.
Wike who made the declaration during a consultative meeting with stakeholders of the Benue chapter of the PDP in Makurdi, said those who returned to the party after a failed sojourn with the APC were responsible for PDP’s defeated during the 2015 election.
He said, “Those founding fathers who ran away from the party and still wanted to be so recognised have lost their shares.
“Let these people who are interested in presidency in the PDP tell us their contributions. You claimed to be one of the founding fathers of the party, but you left and came back; you have become an ordinary person in the new PDP.
“If you form a company and run away because the company is not doing well, then you come back and found that it is now doing well, will you want to come and take over?”
He said he has the capacity to remove the ruling party from power in 2023, adding that APC must be stopped at all costs.
“To remove APC from power, I’m the person who can tell them enough is enough. We must take this power and I’m ready to take it for PDP. God is with us, that’s why APC keeps failing everyday. I’m declaring it (presidential ambition) for the first time in Benue. I’m going to run for election,” he said.
