Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) as the hero of the February 25th presidential election in Nigeria.

Wike, who addressed a town hall with Igbo traders in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said despite Obi not emerging as winner of the poll, his participation in the election guaranteed the emergence of a southerner as President-elect.

According to the Governor, the States where Obi recorded victories would have been won by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), thereby retaining power in the North.

Wike urged the traders to ignore comments by detractors and vote for the PDP in the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections.

The Governor also debunked allegations of working against Obi’s presidential bid, noting that asides providing logistics for the Labour Party candidate during his campaign in the State, he was bound by his agreement with the other aggrieved G5 Governors, which was why he did not openly endorse a presidential candidate, as it was important to have a united region after the election.