Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, made headlines recently when he opined that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State should run for the presidency in 2023, and he said that Mohammed should be the next president.
Some speculate that Jonathan’s decision means he will not run for the country’s top job again, despite rumours that he will. Well, if Jonathan later changes his mind and enters the competition, that’s a different story. Jonathan and Bala, on the other hand, have long been political buddies. Mohammed Bala was such a staunch supporter of Jonathan that he was named Minister of the Federal Capital Territory by him during Jonathan’s presidency.
Returning to the main point, there are reasons why Wike might defy Jonathan’s wishes and endorse a rival presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 elections.
When Wike visited the Bauchi Governor a few weeks ago, he expressed his support for Jonathan’s candidate. However, new events and political moves suggest that Wike may not like Jonathan’s choice of a presidential candidate.
The primary reason for this is that during the Southern Governors’ conference in Lagos, Wike reversed his position and stated that he supported their choice. At the conference, the Southern Governors requested that power be returned to the South in 2023. Regardless of political affiliation, the governors stated unequivocally that the South must deliver the next president in 2023. Mohammed is not a native of the South; he’s from the north. Wike’s stance suggests that he does not support Mohammed.
Wike may throw his hat in the ring ahead of 2023. In this situation, it means he will continue to oppose Mohammed Bala, whom Jonathan has stated to be his supporter. Based on his body language, Wike has given the impression that he is eyeing the presidency.
He has been forging strong partnerships, taking leadership roles in his party, and reconciling the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) groups in numerous states across Nigeria. Wike has been mentioned in rumors and reports as a possible candidate for the position, but he has yet to confirm his intentions. If he eventually runs for the position, he will be up against the candidate who Jonathan supports.
