The Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Godknows Igali, has revealed that former First Lady Patience Jonathan went to great lengths to secure support for Nyesom Wike’s governorship bid in Rivers State. According to Igali, she even rolled on the floor to plead with her husband, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and elder statesman Edwin Clark to back Wike’s candidacy.
This revelation comes after Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, accused PANDEF of seeking personal favors from President Bola Tinubu. In response, Igali defended the delegation, stating that it included respected traditional rulers, ex-governors, and senators. He also recalled how Wike himself had once sought PANDEF’s support, kneeling before Clark while Patience Jonathan passionately lobbied for him, despite opposition from key stakeholders.
Igali noted that some Niger Delta leaders were against Wike’s candidacy at the time, preferring a riverine governor. However, Patience Jonathan’s strong push helped change the tide in Wike’s favor. “She begged, and she is alive to confirm it,” Igali stated, emphasizing the former First Lady’s role in Wike’s rise to power.