Wike denies having agreed to be Atiku's running mate saying PDP is yet to decode on zoning

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dismissed as nonsense media reports that he has agreed to serve as running mate to former vice president Atiku Abubakar on the 2023 presidential elections sating that has his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to decide.

Yesterday, it was widely reported that Governor Wike had agreed to serve as running mate to former vice president Atiku, who is seeking the PDP presidential ticket for next year's elections. In a robust denial however, Governor Wike has dismissed such reports, pointing out that the south half of the country was yet to make a statement on the zoning of the presidential ticket of the PDP.

Governor Wike said: “Please discountenance\ all those things you are hearing as the south will make a statement very soon. The day the south makes a statement Nigeria will know that we’re not joking as what is necessary is to make sure that the party gets it right.

“We are assets, we are not liabilities, so if we say we are going to support the party we will do it with everything we have. We are not in America where they do television campaigns no it’s not done here, when we come out we will choke them."

He also took a swipe at the former Daar Communications chairman Chief Raymond Dokpesi for asking Nigerians to discountenance zoning. Chief Dokpesi had claimed that if elected, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will hand over to the southeast after one term.

Governor Wike added: “At the level of Dopkesi, he said he is a high chief but yet was going to television to tell people that there is no to zoning. I can’t believe this as even if somebody is to say it, is he the one to say it?

“He has arrogated the power of the party to himself saying when Atiku wins, he will hand over to the southeast. Is that not the decision of the party? So the party cannot take a decision at all, Dokpesi has zoned it."