PDP BoT mulls backing Wike after he left them speechless in his pitch for South
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“By the time he told them all that, they [BoT members] were speechless and they were convinced that Wike had been wronged. He told them how he took care of the party when all of them left and how he never abandoned the party for a day.
“After hearing all that transpired from Wike, they asked him the way forward.
“Wike replied that the only way forward was for Ayu to resign and that if Ayu does not resign, nobody should talk to him about PDP again. He vowed not to leave the party but at the same time he would not work for Atiku.”
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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) knock-downs and drag-outs may end with the Board of Trustees (BoT) members telling National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu to resign for peace to reign and for Atiku Abubakar to have a real shot at the Villa in 2023.
This new detail emerged after Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike left them speechless when they met with him in Port Harcourt on Tuesday when he recounted for most of the four hours the parley lasted, the litany of Atiku’s failed promises to the South.
It was learnt the reconciliation committee members were convinced Atiku had treated Wike wrongly.
Acting BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara led the committee members to the meeting.
Other members included former Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations Minister Tanimu Turaki; former Kogi Governor Ibrahim Idris, and four others.
A former PDP national officer told The PUNCH that Wike, who spoke on behalf of aggrieved Governors, told the BoT team how Atiku repeatedly disappointed the Southern bloc, and vowed to boycott the PDP Campaign Council unless Ayu resigns.
“Wike told them Atiku disappointed him. He said he didn’t bargain for Vice President; it was Atiku who begged him. When he eventually agreed and he expected them to work something out, he came back to say he had picked [Delta Governor Ifeanyi] Okowa,” recounted the source, a member of Uche Secondus executive.
“But when Atiku chose Okowa, he didn’t come back to them [Wike and other Governors] to say anything. And the speech he made when he was unveiling Okowa was very disappointing.”
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Gang up against the South
“Wike also told them that Atiku came to London and assured him that Ayu would resign to balance things.
“He also complained about the gang up and sharing of positions which they had already done. Ayo Fayose and Dan Orbih were present during the meeting,” the source added, per The PUNCH.
“By the time he told them all that, they [BoT members] were speechless and they were convinced that Wike had been wronged. He told them how he took care of the party when all of them left and how he never abandoned the party for a day.
“After hearing all that transpired from Wike, they asked him the way forward.
“Wike replied that the only way forward was for Ayu to resign and that if Ayu does not resign, nobody should talk to him about PDP again. He vowed not to leave the party but at the same time he would not work for Atiku.
“Wike complained that there was a time Sule Lamido, Babangida Aliu and Tom Ikimi – all Atiku loyalists – were abusing him and Atiku refused to checkmate them until it got out of hand.”
Panel working on its report
BoT member Shuaibu Oyedokun said the committee would meet as soon as its report is ready.
He confirmed the committee has met with all the Governors in Wike’s camp as well as with Atiku and Okowa and is set to write its report and present it to the full BoT.
“After compilation, we will submit our report to a larger BoT meeting which will consider it before submitting it to the NWC. The working committee will in turn present it to NEC [National Executive Committee],” Oyedokun disclosed.
