2019: I Have no Ambition to be Vice President, Says Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday declared  that he will not be vying for the position of Vice President of the country as being speculated in certain quarters ahead of the 2019 elections. 

Wike said though some of the presidential aspirants seeking his support have offered him the position of Vice President in the course of political consultations, he insisted  that the interest of Rivers State is paramount.

Speaking in an interview with The Osasu Show at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Wike said: "There are aspirants who have promised me the position of the  vice president, but I said I will not seek the position.

"Not even in the dream will I seek that position at this point. I am a first term governor and the National Chairman of PDP is from my State and  the South-south. 

"These  are mere allegations. People can carry rumours, but everything I will do,  will be in the interest of Rivers State.  Nobody can  use Rivers  State as a tool. They did that in the past, but not anymore ".

The governor also expressed surprise that the decision to hold the national convention of the PDP in the state was causing disaffection among aspirants even when he had no hand I the choice of Port Harcourt as the venue.

Wike said the decision to host the October 5 and 6 National Convention in Port Harcourt was initiated without his knowledge, adding that he eventually attended a meeting where Governors and presidential aspirants ratified the resolution. 

He expressed surprise that a few presidential aspirants who never oppposed the decision to host the National Convention in Port Harcourt, have turned around to sponsor reports against the venue of the convention. 

He said: "I am shocked that a few presidential aspirants who never opposed Port Harcourt as a venue would  begin the sponsorship of media  attacks on the venue of the convention, which was not initiated by us.

"When we say that there are moles amongst the presidential aspirants, this is one of the manifestations.  A decision that  is collectively taken,  is being contested through clandestine sponsorship. 

"But if they want, the National Convention can be held at Maiduguri, Yola, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano or any other city. A presidential aspirant that would lose, would lose. 

"All the national delegates that will vote at the National Convention will emerge from the different local government areas of the country and  from the statutory delegates list. None will be elected in Port  Harcourt.  Therefore, it is uncharitable  to attempt to create the impression that hosting it in Port Harcourt will influence the outcome".

Asked to comment on the Lagos State political rift between Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his godfather, Wike advised him to resist the godfather. 

He said: "If it is correct that the godfather is against Ambode , I will tell him (Ambode) to resist it. I will tell him to promote the interest of his state. Godfatherism is not good. It negates development. "

He said  in Rivers State, the immediate past governor sold State assets to his business partner, only to turn around  to anoint the business partner to contest for the governorship position of the state. 

"No more godfather politics in Rivers State.  We are not in Lagos State.  Rivers State will not accept godfatherism. My concern is to do well for Rivers State.

"For the over three years that we have managed Rivers State, nobody of good conscience will say that we have not done well. We are not threatened  because in Rivers State, PDP is a dominant party", he said