Wike ramps up guessing game as PDP delegation seeks meeting with him
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike is not impressed with the token gestures from members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cabal who have not given an inch and yet are pressing him to back off his rebellion over injustice in the party.
He is keeping them guessing over his next move.
PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Walid Jibrin (North Central) resigned on 8 September and was replaced with former Senate President Adolphus Wabara (South East).
Wike scoffed at the rejig.
He insisted the role of the BoT is advisory and Wabara being put on it is meant to divert attention from the agitation for PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu (North Central) to step down for a Southerner.
He said what angers him is that both Ayu and PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar are “arrogant” for reneging on their promises to him personally and to the party in general.
Wike and those sympathetic to his cause say all the PDP leadership positions are occupied by Northerners and demand Ayu’s resignation as a precondition for peace.
Vanguard reports that Team Wike is yet to give a clear signal as to when it would be available to receive emissaries from the party leadership.
“As we speak, no date has been fixed for the meeting. A number of our people have travelled for one engagement or another outside the country,
“Besides, our demands are with the other side while we are not opposed to any genuine effort towards peace, we are no longer available to be deceived,” a Wike loyalist said.
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Reaching out to aggrieved members
Ayu on 8 September solicited the support of Wabara and other party leaders to reach out to Wike to bridge the gulf which has its origins in the PDP presidential primary, exacerbated by Atiku picking Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate.
“As the new BoT Chairman with diplomatic experience, we implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support, including that of the presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here, Ayu told Wabara, per reporting by Vanguard.
“You have our support. The entire BoT should select and reach out to them. We are appealing that they should come back and let us work together.”
Willing, ready for Wike
Ayu also announced the decision of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to send a high-powered delegation to Port Harcourt to continue discussion with Wike.
PDP Deputy National Chairman (North) Illiya Damagun is given the responsibility to lead the team.
“We are willing and ready to get this whole thing behind us but we have yet to get a definite date and time but we remain hopeful it will happen this week,” another member of the team disclosed.
