Uche Secondus, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday noted that no one can impose a presidential candidate on voters in Rivers State.
This is coming days after the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike said that he would announce the presidential candidate he would support in January.
Wike while also campaigning for the Governorship candidate of the party in November had said he would soon tell the people of Rivers State the presidential candidate to vote for.
Secondus, in his reaction to Governor Wike’s statement, said the people of Rivers State had always voted for the PDP.
He further stated that voters in the state can not be forced into voting for any unfamiliar political party in the forthcoming presidential election.
Governor Wike and some aggrieved members of the party had formed the Integrity Group calling for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu as a ticket to support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Members of the group had insisted that they would only work for Atiku if Ayu steps down for a southerner.
The members of the group include four other aggrieved governors: Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State); a former National Vice Chairman (South) of the party, Chief Bode George; former governors Donald Duke, Jonah Jang, Ayo Fayose, Olusegun Mimiko, and several others.