Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday expressed support for the second term bid of Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Wike’s endorsement came as the state chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) promised to render the state governor jobless in 2023.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Rivers State helmsman, who spoke at the announcement at the 22nd National Women’s Conference with the theme: ‘Spring Forth, Stand Out’, organised by the Committee Of Wives Of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) in Lagos, gave the backing to Sanwo-Olu yesterday.

Wike said that Sanwo-Olu’s performance had earned him a second term, commending the governor for giving women the opportunity to serve in various capacities in the state.

“If you are not in my party and you are doing well, I will support you. If you are in my party and you are not doing well, I will not support you. That is what I stand for,” the Rivers governor said.

According to him, by the grace of God, Sanwo-Olu will be a second -term governor, as Lagos State has continued to make progress in his administration.

”Talking about raising the capacity of women, no nation can develop without women. So, assuming that alone, you should see it as a major project, and if a man does that, of course, you need to encourage such a person.
”I just told you that it is a lesson for me. I am leaving the office, if I had known about this, probably, I would have started it. But it is not too late for me. I am going back home to tell my wife, let it be that we have established this, not for us, for future governments that are coming.
“Look at the kind of projects they are carrying out. So, why would you not support such a government that is encouraging this? I’m not even talking about that, look at the physical infrastructure in Lagos State, what do you say, what do you not say?

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”Lagos is the Centre of Excellence. There are some people who will be here, instead of them to make Lagos State continue to improve, they will bring Lagos down and that is not the case here.
“So, for me, I am satisfied, it doesn’t matter the party difference,” he said.

Speaking on the forthcoming general elections, Wike said what Nigerians were looking for is a president that had the interest of the citizens, a president with experience in governance.
“We are looking for a president that Nigerians can say yes, can put food on the table, will fight insecurity; that is what we are looking for, not some people who are talking about ethnicity,” Wike said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the purported endorsement of Sanwo-Olu for a second term by Wike during his visit to Lagos, the PDP vowed to take over his job next year.

The party, in a statement issued yesterday evening by its publicity secretary, Hakeem Amode, said it would have expressed disappointment if Wike had attended any event “without his usual rant of a drowning man who will clutch at a straw.”

He said, “I only wonder how Governor Wike, who didn’t support Jandor, and at the same time couldn’t stop him from picking the party ticket in Lagos, despite his supposed might within the PDP, would apportion to himself the decision of generality of Lagosians in the forthcoming election.
“While we won’t but acknowledge Governor Wike’s developmental strides in Rivers State which have witnessed an influx of other state chief executives including Sanwo-Olu for commissioning, it is worrisome that Wike will call Sanwo-Olu a performer without asking how many times he has invited anyone to Lagos for the commissioning of ordinary borehole in his almost four years in office as governor.

“My dear governor and leader, we promise to render Sanwo-Olu jobless and send him to the club of you former governors next year. Only God, who has seen Jandor and Lagos PDP this far, and the generality of Lagosians, can determine his fate at the polls in 2023, not your endorsement.

“We will continue to sell our breath of fresh air agenda to Lagosians with the promise of a better tomorrow. Lagos needs a breath of fresh air!”