Aminu Bello Masari, governor of Katsina State, has commended Nyesom Wike, his Rivers State counterpart for his role in preventing the infiltration of Rivers by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
The Katsina governor who expressed happiness in seeing Wike aspire to be president of Nigeria, praised his commitment to the unity of Nigeria, noting particularly how he frustrated IPOB’s attempt to infiltrate Rivers.
Masari made the remarks when Wike paid him a courtesy call to formally inform him of his intention to run for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria on Tuesday.
“It is gratifying to God to see people like you from Rivers State too aspiring to be president. That shows that the country is becoming one united country,” Masari said.
“I personally want to appreciate your role during the most difficult days of IPOB. I know what you did as a committed Nigerian. If you had allowed the situation to penetrate Rivers, only God knows where the situation would have been today.
“I think you’re most welcome here. You are a friend, a brother, and somebody that we can eat together but we will not dine together because you are dining somewhere and I am also dining somewhere but we can eat together.”
Masari further said he feels personally obliged to anybody from Rivers State considering the 100% support he received from the state during his days as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
“If there’s any one state that I can count on for 100% support during my days as speaker in the House of Representatives, it was Rivers State and we remain friendly upto this moment,” Masari said.
As a result anybody coming from Rivers State to wherever I am is welcome into my personal house or official residence.”
The Katsina Governor used the opportunity to appeal to all politicians in the country to “play politics in such a way that the nation and the political processed will survive,” noting that if the political processes fails to survive, the whole citizens will feel the brunt.
Masari urged political actors in the country to avoid doing anything that will injure or endanger the processes because it may consume all of us.”
Speaking earlier, Rivers State Governor, Wike Nyesom said he was in Katsina State to consult with party delegates who will be electing the party’s flag-bearer in the forthcoming national convention of the People’s Democratic Party PDP later this month.
Wike said: “I am here to formally inform you that I am making myself available to run for the office of the president of Nigeria and I am here today to talk to the delegates who will make it possible on 28 and 29 of this month which is our national convention.”
Wike said as a tradition and as a friend to the Katsina Governor, he deems it very important that he pays him homage to congratulate him for completing the holy month of Ramadan in peace and also to thank thank him for what he is doing for the people of Katsina State.