Politics Can’t Affect My Friendship With Akwa Ibom Gov – Wike

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that his relationship with his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Udom Emmanuel, has not been soured irrespective of their political differences.

He stated that ideally, politics should never be allowed to create unwarranted friction between brothers.

Wike spoke on Saturday after a private meeting with Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom State at his private residence in Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor local government area of the State.

Emmanuel, who is also the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council, was on a private visit to his Rivers State counterpart in Port Harcourt.

Describing the meeting as convivial, the Rivers State governor said it was completely devoid of politics.

He said: “Politics is not what will divide brothers and divide friends. Everybody knows my relationship with Udom, and we will continue to maintain that relationship.

“We may have different political affiliations or thinking, that should not divide the brotherly love or create a gap among us.”

Corroborating Wike’s position, the Akwa Ibom State governor explained that his visit to the Rivers governor was not political, but a demonstration of brotherly love in the spirit of the Yuletide season.

He said: “Actually, this is the season of love. Within this period if we don’t demonstrate that love, love not shown is love wasted. I think that is what we are trying to demonstrate, brotherly love, friendship. And then in the spirit of the season, we must visit one another.”

Also speaking, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, explained that part of their discussion also centered on how they can best add value to governance in Nigeria.

Ortom added: “We are going into 2023 and we shared among ourselves how can we best add value to our government, how can we best add value to our people, how can we do things that will help add value to our country Nigeria.

“And that if there are any issue in the past which we have done wrong, we looked at it and said ‘look let’s forgive one another and move forward’. They are private issues.”