Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State, has stated that retaining the presidency in the North after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure is worse than the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

Wike challenged those who argue that Nigeria is not ready for a Muslim-Muslim ticket to justify and support efforts to keep the presidency in the North.

Governor Wike spoke on Sunday at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt at a special dedication service for the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2023 general election campaign rallies.

Wike maintained that those engaging in such double-speak and attempting to dupe a few gullible few are insulting the sensibilities of well-meaning Nigerians who want a united country that advances national cohesion.

“You play on people’s intel­ligence; you say Nigeria is not ripe for Muslim-Muslim ticket, I agree. But Nigeria is ripe for presidency to remain in one zone? I mean, just look at the insult. You blow hot and cold.”

Governor Wike urged those people who delightfully condemn the Muslim-Muslim ticket as wrong to also know that Nigerians are also saying it is wrong to retain the presi­dency in the North after Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari.

“Most of you just sit there, you don’t ask yourselves ques­tions. Somebody continues to sell this kind of cheap ideas. You don’t ask the person, I agree with what you are say­ing but look at what we are saying here.”

He further added, “Your party wants the presidency to go to the same zone where President Muhammadu Bu­hari is coming from. Who is cheating who?”

Governor Wike urged PDP members in the state to resist the deliberate attempts of some disgruntled and insignificant politicians to provoke them ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He dismissed Dr. Abiye Sekibo’s and some of his associates’ claim that the state government recently sent thugs to attack them as ludicrous and cheap blackmail.