Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and his Kaduna State counterpart, Nasir el-Rufai, have revealed that the last presidential election in Nigeria was about safeguarding the unity of the country, and Rivers State supported southern presidency for the sake of national inclusivity.
The duo made this known during the inauguration of Eneka-Igbo Etche Link Road in Eneka community, Obio/Akpor local government area of Rivers State, which was constructed by the state government.
In his speech, Wike appreciated el-Rufai and other All Progressives Congress (APC) governors for their commitment to power shift to the south, emphasizing that the presidency should move to the south since the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, who hails from the North, just concluded his eight-year tenure in office.
Wike thanked the governors from the north for their non-personal approach in supporting the quest for southern presidency, adding that their numerical strength could have been used to oppress the rest of the country.
The Rivers State governor explained that the resolve to support southern presidency in Rivers State was not compromised, and the election results showed such support in the spirit of equity, justice, and defence of Nigeria’s unity. Wike stated that the invitation to el-Rufai to inaugurate the Eneka-Igbo Etche Link Road was based on comparing notes and strategies on governance and delivery of development projects in the light of peer review mechanism as they serve their people.
Governor Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai, in his remarks during the inauguration of the road project, commended the Rivers State governor and the people of the state for supporting the emergence of a Southern president in the 2023 presidential election.
He thanked Wike and the people of Rivers State for making the right choice in voting for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. El-Rufai appreciated the people of Rivers State for voting for quality over political sentiments, adding that it was the first time since the Fourth Republic started in 1999 that PDP was unable to get 25% in Rivers State.
The Eneka-Igbo Etche Link Road will reduce travel time between Rivers State and Imo State and ease the transportation of goods from the agrarian Etche council to markets in Port Harcourt and its environs. The road project represents the commitment of the Rivers State government to the delivery of development projects that will enhance the lives of its people.
Wike and el-Rufai’s support for southern presidency in the last Nigerian presidential election underscores the importance of national inclusivity and unity, and their commitment to governance and delivery of development projects is commendable
