A Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, has dismissed claims that he endorsed the governorship aspiration of the immediate past Minister of State for Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
Graham-Douglas, who is one of the founding fathers of the PDP in Rivers State, declared that at no time did he endorse Wike to run for the governorship seat of state.
The member of the PDP Board of Trustees said on Monday in a statement by his personal aide, Mr. Ken Robinson that though he coincidentally met with the former minister at a recent church service in Port Harcourt, the chance meeting did not translate to an endorsement of Wike’s governorship ambition.
According to Graham-Douglas, Wike had expressed regret over the misunderstanding between them.
Mr. Graham-Douglas, a former transport minister, noted that his unexpected meeting with Wike at the church did not change the political principles he (Graham-Douglas) had always stood for.
He said, “May it therefore be unambiguously stated that Alabo Graham-Douglas socio-religious reception of Nyesom Wike in the church service should not, under any circumstance, be interpreted as an endorsement. Alabo Graham-Douglas did not endorse Nyesom Wike.
“As a founder of the PDP in Rivers State and as a father, Alabo Graham-Douglas admonished Nyesom Wike to adhere to and abide to the advice and instruction of elders concerning the age long zoning arrangement of the governorship of Rivers State.
“The principle of zoning of the office of the governor between the riverine and the upland is non-negotiable. On the upland, the Ogoni group has equally not benefited”.
