Adedokun Waliyu 
Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, has asked Ahmed Makarfi, former governor of Kaduna, to ensure the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wins his state in the 2023 elections.
Speaking on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Wike denied being a close associate of Makarfi, saying they have not spoken in months.
He said Makarfi should focus on what is important and stop talking about him.
“This morning, I was watching Channels, I saw former national acting chairman of the party, PDP, Makarfi, and he said he is very close to me. I don’t know how close he is to me,” Wike said.
“Somebody who is close to me, I don’t know when last we spoke. I have never spoken to him for the past five months. So, if you’re close to somebody politically, there is no way in five months you won’t have spoken to the person is it not?
“He said, Wike, you’re sabotaging other people. I don’t know who says the other people have not. What I want to advise Makarfi is, look, you have a job, make sure PDP wins in Kaduna State. That is your job, leave Wike alone.
“Take it upon yourself that Kaduna falls to PDP. I don’t want to hear excuses that they rigged election or they didn’t rig election. That is what I’ve told everybody. In Kano, make sure PDP wins. In Niger, make PDP wins, in Jigawa, make sure PDP wins. If you win, then see whether PDP wins here or not. It’s operation deliver your state. Don’t use anybody’s state to add up.”
Despite his recent romance with members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Rivers governor said he is bringing down the structures of the ruling party in his state.
“Wike and his team are busy here bringing down all structures of APC, providing dividends of democracy. In your own state, you are only talking about Wike,” he added.
Since losing to Atiku Abubakar at the presidential primaries of the PDP, Wike’s political direction has been unpredictable.
It was reported that he met with Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC, in France, while on another occasion, he met with Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
He also hosted Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, and Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the house of representatives, to unveil projects in his state.
Sanwo-Olu and Gbajabiamila are members of the ruling APC.
