From Tony John, Port Harcourt

Governor Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said Rivers State would support any candidate unanimously presented by the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The governor, however, insisted that those to be nominated as principal officers in the House of Representatives must be individuals with requisite experience.

Wike stated this when the Deputy Speaker of the House, Ahmed Wase, led a delegation of other lawmakers on a courtesy call to Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 11 of the 13 federal constituencies in the state, and that the lawmakers-elect would back whoever the national leadership of the ruling APC presents as candidates for the Speaker of the House.

“The way we are now, the truth must be told that we are going to support the leadership of your party at the national level. I am not going to support anybody that is coming from anywhere.”

Wike said only those with requisite experience and the capacity to stabilise the country should be presented as principal officers of National Assembly.

“You (Wase)  are an experienced person. What we require now is experience as far as legislature is concern. Experience will stabilise the House. So you don’t require a green horn.”

Wike said he remained grateful to APC governors and other leaders of the party for zoning the party’s presidential ticket to the South.

He lauded  APC leaders for demonstrating their firm belief in inclusivity of every section of Nigeria in the scheme of things.

“I thank your party for coming out openly to say power has to rotate. Everybody now knows that whoever finishes for eight years, it goes to another area and that will be inclusiveness, it will bring unity. That is what will stabilise this country.”

The Rivers State governor maintained that the decision of the APC to zone the presidency to the South was in sync with the fundamental objectives of the PDP G-5 governors who stood for equity, fairness and justice.

Wike congratulated Wase for winning the  Wase federal constituency of Plateau State.

Wase told Governor Wike that he was in Port Harcourt with his delegation, which cut across various political parties, to solicit his support ahead of the election of the Speaker of the House.

“Your excellency, we just finished the national and presidential election , we are about to go into the National Assembly politics and that is why we are here to seek your support; to seek for your prayers and blessing,” he said.

Wase commended Wike for his stance on power shift to the South saying the governor has distinguished himself as a  man of character and firm believer in the unity of the country.

Lawmaker representing Emure/Gboyin/Ekiti-East Federal Constituency,  Femi Bamisile, commended the G-5 governors, saying their insistence on power shift made it possible for a Bola Tinubu, southerner to emerge as president-elect in the February presidential election.