GOVERNOR of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, says he will work to ensure that Atiku Abubakar emerges victorious in next year’s presidential election, even though the former Vice President was not his preferred candidate during the Peoples Democratic Party’s primary election on Saturday.

Wike had supported Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, during the primary, but the latter polled just 693 votes to finish second behind Atiku who garnered a total of 1,532 votes.

“In the buildup [to the primary election], I had a candidate and I supported my candidate openly, that doesn’t translate to not accepting the outcome which was sincerely in favour of Alhaji Atiku. We will stop at nothing in the support of Atiku to make sure the party comes out victorious in 2019,” Wike tweeted on Tuesday.

In the buildup, I had a candidate and i supported my candidate openly, that doesn’t translate to not accepting the outcome which was sincerely in favour of Alhaji Atiku. We will stop at nothing in the support of HE @atiku to make sure the party comes out victorious in 2019. pic.twitter.com/307RVynKId

— Governor Wike (@NyesomWlKE) October 9, 2018

Earlier on Monday, Wike had described Atiku as “the next President of Nigeria come 2019″, during Atiku’s visit to the Rivers State Government House.

There had been reports that the PDP governors could work against Atiku since their colleague, Tambuwal, did not clinch the presidential ticket.

In the aftermath of the PDP primary election, Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, threatened that he could leave the Party if matters got out of hand.

“We have no regret aligning with Governor Wike to support Governor Tambuwal for the presidential ticket. We have no apologies either.

“We kept the party alive and strong when most men became ladies. We never compromised. If any group feels it can do it alone, we will see how far they can go

“I may renounce my membership of the party if the need arises. In the main time, myself and others will continue with our consultations while watching the turn of events,” Fayose said in a statement on Monday.