A political pressure group in Rivers State, the Akpor Consultative Assembly (ACA), has endorsed Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike to run for the position of the President of Nigeria in the 2023 general election.
The Assembly, in a resolution reached at its congress meeting held in Port Harcourt, also passed a vote of confidence on Governor Wike and urged him to present himself for the office of the President at the 2023 general election.
Addressing journalists at end of the meeting, the President General, Chief Hanny Woko said it will be a disservice to the people of Nigeria if Governor Wike refuses to present himself to be elected as President in the 2023 election.
“We as a group collectively, after consultation, are calling on the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike today, the 26th day of February, 2022 to present himself to run for the highest office of the land. To run for the position of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We are compelling him to make himself available because Nigeria needs a man of his status at this perilous time of our history.
“We need sanity in Nigeria. We need a courageous, youthful leader to man that position. In Governor Wike we see every qualification. In him we see the embodiment of a true patriotic Nigerian.
“We therefore plead with him, urge him and also compel him, because it is a call to service. It will be a disservice to the country if he refuses to present himself for that position because we have looked all round, he is the most qualified for that position,” the group said.
Speaking from the sideline, a member of the group and the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim said the position of the Assembly is a reecho of the agreement of all lovers of good governance in Nigeria that Governor Wike stands tall as one who has the qualities to be the President of Nigeria come 2023.
“Look at his antecedents as Chairman of local Government, as Minister of Education and now as Governor. Today, Rivers State remains the centerpiece of development in Nigeria in terms of infrastructural, healthcare delivery, education, agriculture, housing, women empowerment, social welfare and justice system.
“Governor Wike has set models for development in all these areas and that is why he is called Mr. Quality Projects. The numerous awards he has garnered over the years from the media, and nongovernmental organisations speak a lot of the capacity of Governor Wike.
“So, what we are just doing here is to reecho the voice of majority of Nigerians who have been clamouring for him to throw in his cap into the ring to contest for the President,” he said.
He expressed confidence that Governor Wike will not only win the general election, but also replicate what he is doing in Rivers State at a large scale across the country.
“His achievements are legendary. The works speak for themselves. In any sector of the economy you see his signature boldly written for posterity. So that is what we want him to replicate in Nigeria, because, we believe Nigeria needs a visionary leadership at this point in time,” Nsirim posited.
The member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency 2 in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Michael Chinda said the group endorsed Governor Wike for the position of President because he has the national character and the qualifications to rescue Nigeria from its present situation.
“We are solidly behind him. For us in Akpor, we are convinced. He has done so much for us. Before now, we hadn’t any roads, today, he has constructed durable roads all over Akpor kingdom. So, the political nucleus of the Akpor people is urging him to come and do same for Nigeria,” he said.
The meeting was well attended by political weights drawn from the ten clans that make up the Akpor Kingdom of the Obio/Akpor local Government area, the home stead of Governor Nyesom Wike.
