George backs Wike, says Ayu must go before the hustings start
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
“Atiku and Ayu are leaving the South West for Tinubu and Obi to take charge. The only way Atiku can make a headway is in Oyo State but Seyi Makinde is not on Atiku’s side.
“Who is there for them in Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos or Ondo States? Ayo Fayose is on Wike’s side. In Osun State, when the chips are down, Ademola Adeleke does not have the political control over PDP members in the state.
“Therefore, the PDP risks losing the South West because, for now, it is only Wike’s voice they’re hearing. Many who believe in Wike’s cause but are not talking now, are more in number. Wike is saying the minds of many” – PDP source.
Nyesom Wike is “fighting for justice” and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairmanship “must go to the South”, insists Bode George, the second big wig to relitigate the cause in the past two weeks after BoT Chairman Walid Jibrin.
Jibrin pressed the case on Channels Television on 22 August that it is unfair for PDP presidential candidate of Atiku Abubakar; National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; and himself to come from the North.
“Based on my earlier statement that the PDP cannot produce a Northern President, National Chairman, BoT Chairman all from the North for the 2023 presidential elections, I still maintain my stand on that statement,” he reiterated in a statement later.
George, former PDP National Vice Chairman (South West), picked up the gauntlet and backed the Rivers Governor on the “Ayu must go” agitation on Thursday, accusing Ayu of ingratitude.
“The issue of the PDP chairman must be addressed before commencement of campaigns for the 2023 elections,” George said during the commissioning of roads constructed by the Rivers Government.
“It is an antithesis and against the norms and culture of our party that our presidential candidate, our national chairman and the chairman of the Board of Trustees [BoT] will come from one section of the country.
Ayu ‘must go’ before campaign starts
“Party members from the South are already feeling alienated; the PDP is not a private company. So, before we start the presidential campaign at the end of this month, the National Chairmanship must go to the South.
“That is what Governor Wike is saying and as a life member of the Board of Trustees of our party, I support this position 100 per cent,” George said, per Vanguard reporting.
“Statutorily, it is the National Chairman, who hands over the party’s flag to our presidential candidate. How will party members from the South feel when they see that, at all political rallies, Southerners have no public political representation?
Wike is ‘fighting against injustice’
“But we can only go back to Aso Rock if we are united and not divided. Some people are abusing Governor Wike that he is a trouble [maker]. Those abusing him, as an elder and as a father in this party, must stop immediately.
“Governor Wike is only fighting against injustice, for equity, for fairness in our party. He is not only a strong pillar in this party, but a mobiliser, a financier and an actualiser.
“Since he joined the PDP, he has not left this party. I am also a founding father of the party and since 1998, I have not left this party.”
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PDP losing grip in South West, warns ex-NWC member
A former member of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) who did not want to named, confided in Vanguard the PDP risks losing bulk votes from the South West if its leaders fail to do the right thing.
Said he: “From what is going on, the PDP risks losing bulk votes from the South West. That is what will happen. Seyi Makinde, who is the only [PDP] Governor in the South West for now, is with Wike and he has the clout in the South West.
“Senator Demola Adeleke, who is the Governor-elect of Osun State, does not have a relationship with any of the camps for now and he does not have the power of control for now.
“Atiku and Ayu are leaving the South West for Tinubu and Obi to take charge. The only way Atiku can make a headway is in Oyo State but Seyi Makinde is not on Atiku’s side.
“Who is there for them in Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos or Ondo States? Ayo Fayose is on Wike’s side. In Osun State, when the chips are down, Ademola Adeleke does not have the political control over PDP members in the state.
“Therefore, the PDP risks losing the South West because, for now, it is only Wike’s voice they’re hearing. Many who believe in Wike’s cause but are not talking now, are more in number. Wike is saying the minds of many.”
Wike blasts Ayu again for calling him a child
Wike latched on the moral support he received from George at the commissioning of roads in Omerelu, Ikwerre Council Area on Thursday and lobbed another round of missiles at Ayu.
His words: “You were sleeping in your house, calling me per second, saying my brother, my brother. Today, all those who brought you as chairman are all boys. Nigerians have seen how ungrateful some of you can be.
“That is why Nigerians are also careful, thinking if you give these people power, how grateful will they be to Nigerians? I’ve kept quiet thinking we will reconcile. “Now that you have become arrogant to say you were elected, where did you campaign?
“Where were your campaign posters? Even when we gave you money to print posters, you pocketed it.
“Hire all the media moguls, hire all social media top people, and write all you can write, it will not save you. Carry all the television houses working for you; it will not bother me at all. I do what my conscience tells me to do and what is right for our people.
“Ayu said we are children. Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter and made you chairman. Ayu, you were impeached as Senate president. Ayu, you were sacked by Olusegun Obasanjo in his administration two times.
“Arrogance cannot take you anywhere. Now, we have seen that you don’t want the party to win elections, we’ll help you. When you should instead come out to say ‘I’m sorry, for the sake of us’, he is telling us we are children.
“A man, who is inconsistent and ran away from the party, telling those of us who spent our time and had sleepless nights to make sure this party does not go down. Now, he has the audacity to say we are children.
“We will tell him you’re a prodigal father. A man that was impeached, sacked and ran away from the party is now coming to say, I’m founding member of the party. Then you ran away.”
