Tone deaf PDP Govs send new emissaries to Wike. But Ayu remains in post
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nyesom Wike has made it clear for months that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu has to resign and be replaced with a Southerner before he (Wike) can support Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign.
But four South South PDP Governors have been mandated to meet and plead with Wike again to back down, without a word about asking Atiku to stop his hypocrisy.
Ayu himself promised in May that he would resign if a Northerner got the party’s presidential ticket. Atiku did. Ayu has refused to resign. Atiku backs him.
Some other PDP big wigs support the five Governors (G5) that Ayu must step down before they back Atiku, a position Wike conveyed to PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) members when they held a meeting with him in Port Harcourt on 4 October.
The G5 comprises Governors Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Samuel Ortom (Benue). They flew to London on Wednesday where they are currently planning their next move.
Atiku launched his campaign in Uyo on Monday, but had to deploy surrogates on Thursday to deny rumour of its suspension because of the internal rift.
Former Anambra Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, now a Senator, had on Tuesday used scathing words to dismiss Atiku’s campaign launch without the involvement of the G5.
Nnamani said: “Politics is local and the folks from these affected [G5] states parading with the PDP leadership will not deliver their polling booths without the Governors.
“Without the involvement of the Governors that are our leaders, these mere cheerleaders and feel-good political operatives cannot deliver.
“They can drag themselves from their home states to Abuja. Some are Abuja permanent residents. They dress the meetings and colour the rallies, but that is what it is, political colour dressing.’’
Wike has vowed never to accept Northern dominance of the PDP leadership. Atiku insists Ayu must retain his post; he has not conceded any ground to the South but keeps on sending emissaries to Wike to change his mind.
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New emissaries sent to Wike
At Atiku’s behest, four South South Governors were assigned on Thursday to beg Wike to shift ground and support Atiku’s run for President.
Governors Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and Godwin Obaseki (Edo) were given the responsibility, according to a communique issued at the end of the South South PDP Governors’ Forum meeting in Uyo.
Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who is also Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council Director General as well as Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman, attended the meeting
Other attendees included former Governors Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Celestine Omehia (Rivers); former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus; and serving and former federal and state lawmakers.
The communique was signed by Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who is Atiku’s presidential running mate.
“The meeting strongly urged the four PDP Governors within the South South Zone that took part in the meeting to do everything necessary within their powers to persuade their brother Governors, especially Governor Nyesom Wike, to review their position and join hands with the party to rescue, rebuild and reunite the country in the interest of the suffering Nigerians,” the communique said, per The PUNCH.
Need for unity
“The meeting formally congratulated … Atiku Abubakar for his emergence as the party presidential candidate and thanked the party leadership for the nomination of one of the great sons of the Zone, Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, as the presidential running mate.
“The meeting underscored the need for unity and urged all members of the party within the South South Zone to make all necessary sacrifices both individually and collectively to ensure the victory of the party in all of the elections in 2023, especially to save the country from the precipice and brinks of total collapse culminating from the clueless, incompetent and ineptitude APC’s administration in the country.
“The meeting reviewed recent events in our party, the PDP, and in the country, especially the dwindling fortunes of the country in the areas of insecurity, economy, unemployment, poverty, inflation, corruption, currency devaluation.”