Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike has told leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the party cannot afford to miss the opportunity Nigerians have given it to return to power in 2023.

Wike also said the PDP governors and other stakeholders would work tirelessly for the party to produce the next Nigerian president in 2023, urging those fanning the embers of discord over the issue of zoning of presidential ticket and dividing governors, to focus their energy on rebuilding and strengthening the party.

Governor Wike stated this Monday when he paid a courtesy call on Bayelsa state Governor Douye Diri at the Government House, Yenagoa.

In a statement by Wike’s Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, the governor said “Nigerians are waiting anxiously for PDP to rescue the country from the poor governance the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has foisted on them.”

Wike said: “I’ve come to let him know that everybody as PDP members must put ourselves together to build the party. Without the party, nobody can be a presidential candidate. There must be a party.

“So, there is the need for everybody to work together, make the party to be united before we talk about who will be presidential candidate.

“We cannot afford to miss this opportunity that Nigerians are giving back to PDP to take over the government in 2023. Everybody must work together as a party. And as governors, we must work together. If we didn’t work together we won’t have had the best convention we have ever had as a party.”

Governor Wike warned that if governors and members of the party were not united, it would be difficult for the party to amicably nominate an acceptable presidential candidate.

According to him, PDP must capitalise on the brewing crisis in the APC to build a more formidable party to wrest power from the APC-led federal government.

Governor Wike assured that PDP governors would not be distracted by the antics of those who are fanning the embers of discord in their bid to weaken their resolve to work in unison for the PDP to clinch the presidency in 2023.

“We as governors will be united. Nobody can divide the governors because we are determined to work together to make sure PDP produces the next president in 2023,” he said.

The governor further commended Governor Diri, who was the deputy chairman of the PDP convention committee, for the pivotal role he played in ensuring the success of the convention that produced the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Governor Wike urged the Bayelsa state governor to focus on providing democratic dividends to the people of his state, as that is the best strategy to silence the opposition in the State.

In his response, Senator Diri lauded Governor Wike for the role he and other governors played in the emergence of a new NWC with a national chairman of proven integrity who would steer the PDP back to power in 2023.

Diri said: “The presidency is one sacred office of our country that we must do everything to protect and to ensure that this time around, our party gets a clinch back. And that can only happen if you and I, not only governors, party structures, elders, leaders and followers alike come together to give Nigerians their expectations.

“We all know here that Nigerians are expecting a change in the Villa. Nigerians are expecting a party to rescue them and the only party that has that pedigree is our party, PDP. There is no other party. So I thank you. I have seen you going all over preaching the same thing, preaching unity of purpose of our party, preaching oneness; that is the right way to go.”