The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has described Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, as the hero of the just-concluded February 25 presidential election.

Wike made the statement when he addressed a town hall with Igbo traders in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

He said despite Obi not having been declared the winner, his participation in the election ensured a southerner emerged as the President-elect.

According to Wike, Obi recorded victories where the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would have won, thereby retaining power in the North.

“In this election that we just did,” he said, “Obi is my hero, as far as I’m concerned. If he didn’t contest, power would have remained in the North,” he said.