•••LAMBAST AMAECHI, EMEFIEKE, AKAPBIO, SYLVA, OTHERS
Onyedi Igwe, Port Harcourt
Ijaw youths have commended the Rivers State Governor, Nysom Wike, for taking the bold decision to declare his interest to run for the presidency in 2023
The youths under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide; described Wike as a strong minded man who doesn’t pretend about his interest.
The IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement in Port Harcourt, added that the youths are not happy that the politicians from the zone are shying away from declaring their interests.
According to him, the anger of the youths was directed at the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; Petroleum Minister (state), Chief Timipre Sylva; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele; oil magnate and founder of Belemaoil Producing Limited, Tein Jack-Rich, for not showing the expected interest in the number one office in the land.
Igbifa said that it was rather disheartening that none of the above mentioned personalities had mustered the courage to make public their interests to join the presidential race as the election draws nearer.
He said Wike declared his interest despite attempts by Northern political leaders in the PDP to intimidate him and corner the ticket of the party for their zone.
He said, “We are happy that Wike has blazed the trail. He, no doubt, has a bragging right for the PDP ticket. His courageous declaration has silenced what we perceived to be organised intimidation by the PDP political leaders from the North.
“In the Southwest, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has upped his game. In the North, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and the Sokoto State Governor, Waziri Aminu Tambuwal have made public declarations of their intentions and started consultations.
“In the Southeast, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and former Senate President Pius Anyim have stepped out to declare their ambitions
“Amaechi is busy behaving like a comedian and treating his ambition like a joke. Is he waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to publicly annoint him first?
“Sylva is playing to the gallery, snapping and posting studio pictures. Emefiele looks confused. He doesn’t know whether to resign his appointment as the CBN governor and pursue his ambition or to remain there. Jack-Rich remains indecisive”. He said.
He described the 2023 Presidental race as a serious business, adding that winning the ticket of a major party for such election requires advanced preparations and nationwide consultations.
Igbifa, however, lamented that in the Southsouth, those with interests were treating their ambitions with kid’s gloves without summoning required political Will to pursue them.
He said their postures had kept the stakeholders in the geopolitical zone in political confusion with the South South assuming an image of a directionless orphan ahead of the election.
Igbifa said it was time people with presidential ambitions took the path of Wike and made them public to give the zone a direction ahead of the general election.
He said the youths from the Niger Delta would soon hold a summit to take a position ahead of the election adding that the youths would only support persons with serious intentions to pursue their ambitions.
