Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said he has no regrets supporting his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal during the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but will work towards ensuring that Atiku Abubakar, who eventually clinched the party’s presidential ticket wins the 2019 general election.

According to a statement issued by Simeon Nwakaudu, his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Wike stated this while speaking at a Special Thanksgiving Service for the successful hosting of the PDP national convention at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

“I supported the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal fully. I have no regrets for my support for Tambuwal. But the party has made a choice and as a loyal party man, I stand by the choice of the party.

“I will support His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar to victory in 2019. That is what is called party loyalty. We must put our heads together to ensure that this bad government is sacked.

“We must ensure that this bad government goes in 2019. If this same government returns in 2019, then Nigerians are digging their graves. The suffering now will be a child’s play. That is why we must work for the good of our people,” Wike said.

The governor stressed that he stood his ground in ensuring that Rivers State hosted the national convention of the PDP premised on the fact that the state has remained the home of PDP since 1999 and has made the party proud.

He also praised the efforts of the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus in keeping the party alive, calling on Nigerians to support Atiku’s candidature towards ensuring that the current administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was ousted in 2019.

In his address, Secondus thanked the state government and people of Rivers State for hosting what he described as the most successful convention in the history of Nigerian party politics, charging security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work towards conducting free and fair elections in 2019.

The high point of the celebration was the presentation of awards to Wike, his wife, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, Chief of Staff to the governor, Chukwuemeka Woke and Permanent Secretary of Government House Administration, Onyenachi Nwankwor.