Signs that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State might throw his hat into the ring in 2023 when politicians present themselves for the presidency are gradually emerging.
Already, posters which mark the governor out as a potential candidate in 2023 have hit the road.
They are everywhere; on the streets of Abuja and some state capitals; and on social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Insiders reveal that the sudden emergence of the posters proclaiming Wike as a candidate sent jitters to many within the PDP, especially among those with ambitions to wrest the presidential ticket from other contenders.
Observers say that the appearance of the said posters indicate that the Rivers governor may be thinking differently about his future and his alliance with Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Governor of Sokoto State who is known to be eyeing the presidency on the platform of the PDP.
But the Rivers Governor through his Commissioner for Information, Paulinus Nsirim swiftly denied having anything to do with the posters which are everywhere.
Nsirim said it was the handiwork of mischievous persons, saying the Governor has not told anyone that he has an interest in contesting the presidency.
“We are amused that political detractors will stop at nothing to see how they can distract Governor Wike’s visionary leadership.
“For the umpteenth time, we wish to restate that Governor Wike is presently preoccupied with his mission to make Rivers State a better place and destination of choice”
He urged Nigerians to disregard the posters which had nothing to do with his principal.
People are asking, if Wike or his admirers were not behind the appearance of the posters, who did? Who were the detractors that the State Commissioner for Information was referring to?
However, initial reactions from Rivers people who have seen the posters or heard of them suggest that they are not entirely surprised. While some say they believe Wike has no ambition, others dismiss it with a wave of the hand.
Wike has made himself visible in respect of burning national issues and thrown money into the sponsorship of projects in some states, particularly in the North.
The latest financial gesture to the North which is raising a lot of dust back home has been linked to Sokoto State.
“Now we know why he has been spending Rivers money in faraway places. It has all along been to support his aspiration to be president of Nigeria”. a Rivers youth who is also a member of the PDP remarked.
“I knew”, a lady who gave her name as Pat said “that this would happen. Well, the Government has denied that our Governor wants to be President. I personally don’t believe the story that detractors are behind the appearance of the posters.”
Amadi John remarked, “All this noise that we are hearing, what is it all about? Do they think we have no heads? Nigerians cannot be deceived so easily. Someone is flying a kite. We shall see how all this will end.”
Governor Wike and his friends may have succeeded in keeping so many things under wrap.
The Rivers Governor, sources reveal has been funding the PDP in the entire North without the other PDP governors.
A source in the Middle Belt hinted the Telegraph in course of its investigation that the posters that Wike is denying may have been sponsored by a northern governor who is a member of the PDP.
Recall that sometime last year, the Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI, which is the vehicle that drove the Governor’s gubernatorial ambition disclosed that it was going nationwide.
On that occasion, the group had said it was increasing its national visibility in order to put the achievements of Governor Wike in the public domain.
As things are, the good works of Wike who is said to be on a rescue mission is on the front burner.
“Politics is a cloak and dagger game. So we expect more facts to unfold”, a top member of the PDP in Rivers State stated, “We have seen stuff like this before. This dance steps are not new. They are as old as time.”
Of late, many are increasingly seeing similarities between Wike’s moves on the nation’s political turf and Governor Peter Odili’s style.
Many years ago. Odili went for the Presidency as a serving governor. He also threw money around.