Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his Adamawa State counterpart, Ahmadu Fintiri, have both given their thoughts on the type of presidential candidate the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) needs to take over power in 2023.
This was contained in a statement signed by Wike’s Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, when the Rivers State governor paid a courtesy visit to Fintiri at the Government House, Yola, on Friday.
While Wike was concerned about how and when the candidate would emerge, Fintiri, dwelled on the character and qualities of the candidate, saying he was not in support of zoning.
A statement signed by Wike’s Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said the duo spoke when Wike paid a courtesy visit to Fintiri at the Government House, Yola, on Friday.
Wike and his entourage were in Yola to appreciate Fintiri, who was the Chairman of the PDP Convention Planning Committee for successfully conducting the exercise.
Wike said stakeholders in the party would at the right time collectively decide the party’s presidential candidate.
He said that the PDP was ready to take over power at the centre in 2023 following the success of its convention.
The Rivers state governor commended Fintiri and members of the PDP convention planning committee for making the party proud by conducting a transparent and rancour-free convention.
“For making our party proud, today Nigerians believe that PDP has put themselves in a position to take over the affairs of this country. It was not easy”, he said.
Wike said that those, who had not participated in organising a party convention might presume it was an easy feat to accomplish.
He said: “At a time most people were expecting that it may not work out for PDP. It only did not work out well, it was peacefully conducted, the best ever conducted since PDP started.
“I believe that when people have done well, you commend them. When you give them another opportunity, they will put in their best. And that is one of the things I have come today to say my brother, you’ve done well with your people. You did not put us to shame.”
Wike noted that when he and others nominated Fintiri as the chairman of the convention planning committee, they never had any reservation about his capacity to deliver a credible and transparent convention.
” Today, Ahmadu Fintiri has become a household name in Nigerian politics, because of the convention he conducted very transparently. Thank you for what you have done for our great party”, he said.