Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, scored his Lagos counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, high in performance, commending his tenacity towards bringing development to the nation’s economic capital.

Wike, who was a special guest at the 2022 National Women’s Conference, with the theme: “Spring Forth, Stand Out” in Lagos, announced an N3 million donation on behalf of Rivers women.

Reacting to the apparent endorsement of Sanwo-Olu by the Rivers helmsman for another term of four years in office at next year’s general elections, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement by its publicity secretary, Hakeem Amode, said it would have expressed disappointment if Wike had attended any event with a speaking role without his “usual rant of a drowning man who will clutch to a straw.”

Amode said: “I only wonder how Governor Wike, who didn’t support Jandor and at the same time, couldn’t stop him from picking the party ticket in Lagos despite his supposed might within the PDP, would apportion to himself the decision of generality of Lagosians in the forthcoming election.

“While we won’t but acknowledge Governor Wike’s developmental strides in Rivers State, which he has deployed influx of other state chief executives, including Sanwo-Olu, for commissioning. It is, worrisome, however, that Governor Wike will call Sanwo-Olu a performer without asking how many times he has invited anyone to Lagos for the commissioning of the ordinary borehole in his almost four years in office as governor.

“My dear Governor and Leader, we promise to render Sanwo-Olu jobless and send him to the club of you former governors next year.

“ Only God, who has seen Jandor and Lagos PDP this far, and the generality of Lagosians that can determine his fate at the polls in 2023, not your endorsement.”

EARLIER, Sanwo-Olu, who doubled as chief host of the conference, underscored the importance of recruiting women into government to facilitate robust socio-economic development.

He said the event was a clarion call for women to reinvent themselves in the face of the new normal. 

Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, stressed that the gathering showed that women could serve as change agents, adding that all they needed was to unite as the next national elections approached.

In her remarks, the Chairman of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) and organiser of the event, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, called on women to ensure they stand out and spring forth in all endeavours of life.

She said this year’s theme was premised on not encouraging excuses for stagnancy, as women are unique beings.

The physical and virtual event, according to her, provides fertile ground to share inspiring ideas and engage robustly intellectually on issues affecting the human race.