There are three governors in the South South zone of Nigeria who may not support Governor Nyesom Wike’s presidential ambition. There are 17 presidential aspirants under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party PDP. Out of the 17, two were reportedly screened out while 15 succeeded and they will be fielded in the primaries if the party does not zone the presidency to any zone as it has previously said.
In the South South, Governor Wike of Rivers state and Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state are contesting for the party’s presidential ticket. Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River is of the APC and he is also contesting under the APC platform. With that, three governors are left in the zone that are not contesting the presidency.
Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki has been at loggerheads with Wike over party issues. Both of them had exchanged bitter words against each other and the rift has not been settled. When Governor Wike visited delegates in the state, he refused to visit the governor, citing reasons that it is not compulsory for him to visit the government house. That is an indication that the rift between the two has not been settled. As it is now, Governor Obaseki may not support his presidential bid.
It is not yet clear whether Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state is behind Wike’s ambition for the president. A few weeks back, some Northern presidential aspirants visited the Delta government house to seek support of Governor Okowa. The aspirants include former senate president, Bukola Saraki, Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal and Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed. This group is behind the Northern consensus candidacy for the PDP.
Reports emerging from this meeting with Okowa revealed that these Northern aspirants are wooing the governor to support the North so that he could be made a vice presidential candidate to any of them that eventually emerges as the presidential candidate of the party. If this report is true, then Okowa would not be ready to support Wike’s presidential bid.
The position of the Bayelsa state governor, Diri Douye, is still unclear at the moment, whether he stands with Wike, Udom or playing the Northern card is not certain. He is the only governor whose position remains unrevealed as the political wave is hitting the states.
One fact about the PDP is that it is tactically pushing its presidential candidate to the North since it is believed that the North has more voting strength than the Southern states of the country. The plan of the party is to capitalize on the voting strength of the North since APC may not zone its presidency to the Northern states.
Wike’s support base in the south as a whole is very weak arising from the subtle decision of the party. Though he is seen as a force in the party and the only aspirant who has toured some states seeking their support, he may find it difficult getting the votes he need to emerge as the party candidate. This is coupled with his disciplinarian stance as many are afraid of his presidency if he wins the general elections.
