Wike declares Obi a hero of Nigeria’s presidential election

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has branded Labor Party candidate Peter Obi a hero of the February 25 presidential election.

The former governor of Anambra State garnered 6,101,533 votes to finish third behind the duo of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tinubu garnered 8,794,726 votes to edge out the former president who won 6,984,520 votes in hotly contested elections.

Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) finished fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Like Tinubu and Atiku, Obi won in 12 states while Kwankwaso floored the trio only in Kano state.

Wike, who spoke in an interactive session with some trade associations in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said the North would have retained power without the LP candidate on the ballot.

He noted that Obi’s participation in the election ate up PDP votes in the Southeast and South-South geopolitical zones, which would have helped the party win.

READ ALSO: Wike explains why he supports Tinubu and Obi

The governor maintained that even if Obi did not win the election, history would remember him because he fought well.

Wike was the G-5 arrowhead that pushed for the resignation of PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu for his role in violating the party’s zoning agreement.

Other members of the group are Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

He said, “Obi is my hero. If Obi had not contested the election, power would have returned to the north. The entire South-South and South-East that PDP lost, if Obi had not contested, PDP would have won.

“The hero of this election is Obi, whether you like it or not. I’m not here to please you. Obi is the hero. He may not have been declared the winner, but no problem, the law will follow his courses.

“If Obi had not organized this election, power would have remained in the north. Whether he is declared the winner now or not, history will be on his side that he fought and fought well.

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