Tinubu hails 'dependable' Wike for contributing to his election victory

The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has sung the praises of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, over the latter's contributions to his victory at the hotly-contested presidential election of February 25, 2023.

The former Lagos State governor thanked Wike for proving himself to be dependable during the presidential election and commended his insistence that power must shift to the southern part of the country even though his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), picked a northern candidate.

“Your Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, you are very dependable,” Tinubu said this when he inaugurated the Rumuokwuta/Rumuola Road Flyover in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

The President-elect, who was in Rivers to honour the governor's invitation, was accompanied by All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains and stakeholders including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila as well as the governors of Jigawa, Ebonyi, Kwara, Imo, amongst others.

Some former governors of both the PDP and APC were also in attendance.

While recalling the gruesome campaign he went through and how he had to fight hard for his victory, Tinubu concluded that he could not have emerged as the winner against strong opponents like PDP's Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party without the structural support from people like Wike.

Tinubu's words: “I went through a gruesome campaign, fought hard, supported by many of you and I won. Fair and square. Nyesom, I say thank you for your contribution to my victory. I couldn’t have done it without some structural support as not describable in a flyover.”

“In his Excellency, I see a man of principle. He (Wike) took a principled stand that the Presidency must return to the South and he has the courage to stand by his conviction not minding whose ox is gored.

“He is indeed a man of great integrity; he did not choose to serve his own interest, not about him. Rather, the interest of the nation. You promoted unity, you promoted fairness, you championed justice. Thank you.

“There were so much gossips and speculations but you stood your ground.”

Pulse reports that Wike had earlier declared Wednesday public holiday and directed business operators in certain areas of Port Harcourt to shut down and give Tinubu a deserving welcome, a gesture the President-elect deeply appreciated.