The signs of the lingering political dispute between the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and his Edo State counterpart, Governor Godwin Obaseki resonated on Thursday as Wike ignored the protocol to visit the Government House in Benin.
Wike, a Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party was in Benin to meet with the delegates of the party ahead of the Party’s national convention.
Although Wike visited the palace of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II , he avoided both the Government House and the State Secretariat of the Party.
It is the standard protocol for a PDP presidential aspirant to start his visit from the Government House of a State but that did not happen.
Instead, Wike met the PDP delegates at the residence of late former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Late Chief Tony Anenih.
Wike who spoke at the palace of the Oba of Benin, promised to address the security challenges facing the country if given the chance to rule the country.
He said that he would invest massively on intelligence gathering noting that development and economic economic activities can only thrive in a secure environment
He said: “I was here one and a half years ago as the DG (Director General) of the campaign for the re-election of Governor Obaseki but I am here today not on behalf of anybody but of myself and my team to seek your prayers.
“I have come to Benin to talk to the delegates of our party that will be part of our national convention by May 28th and 29th.
“The way our country has fared, Nigeria needs somebody that will see white and say it is white and will see black and say that it is black. If the PDP gives me the ticket, I have enough experience to tackle Nigeria’s mirage of problems having been a local government chairman, Minister of State overseeing Education and now governor.
“The major issue confronting Nigeria today is insecurity and without security no other activity can function and what we need to tackle insecurity is intelligence gathering which is lacking, we are not going to sit down and give excuses but we will take action and spend resources to gather intelligence”
Speaking, the Oba of Benin lauded Governor Wike for his developmental strides in Rivers State.
The monarch called on those in positions of authority to give the deserved attention to the sustenance of the African culture which he says is superior to others.
He said as a son of the Niger Delta, he would continue to pray for Wike so that he is not misled and his family is protected from all harm.