Some presidential aspirants running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform have agreed to meet with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers and other disgruntled governors in the party in order to mend fences with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that Wike, along with his counterparts from Oyo, Enugu, Benue, and Abia states, Seyi Makinde, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Samuel Ortom, and Okezie Ikpeazu, had withdrawn from the party’s presidential campaign, insisting that the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, be removed or resign from his position for a southerner to replace
They accused Ayu of breaking his promise to resign if the party’s presidential candidate was a northerner.
Remember that the Board of Trustees formed an ad hoc committee to mediate a settlement between the two parties? One of the committee’s recommendations was for the chairman to agree to resign after the elections. Wike and his supporters, on the other hand, rejected the report and insisted that Ayu resign as chairman before next year’s election.
According to reports, some PDP National Executive Committee members have also thrown their support behind the presidential aspirants’ renewed bid to end the ongoing feud between Wike’s and Atiku’s camps.
One of the aspirants, Sam Ohuabunwa told The PUNCH that despite the uncompromising stand of Wike and his group, the reconciliation effort would continue as no serious PDP member “will want to give up.”
He said;
Nobody will want to give up on reconciliation, because it is fundamental to our ability to confront the competition ahead. It is an ongoing exercise and we pray that wisdom will prevail and if wisdom prevails, the party will smile and will be able to go into the elections as a united entity.
Ohuabunwa added;
We are trying, but the truth of the matter is that all over the world, there are people who stick to certain principles and they are implacable. If you want peace, make sure there is justice.
Wike is a dogged fighter for what he believes in. If you care to listen to him, you will find out that he is not fighting for the sake of fighting. A lot of people are speaking with him but he is saying, ‘Let justice be done.’ The question is: Is it possible to meet some of his demands to form the basis of reconciliation?
We have done a lot, but we don’t have to put everything in the media. We are working day and night and we are also praying. A lot of subterranean undercurrents are going on and we are hopeful that this crisis will come to an end soon.
Another aspirant and Head of Strategic Communication of the PDP Presidential Campaign, Dele Momodu, expressed the willingness of the former contestants for the PDP ticket to meet with Wike to resolve the crisis in the party’s interest.
I love Wike and I will continue to love him. We (presidential aspirants) will like to meet with him but the roads are blocked given the statements coming from him. So, it is not easy but the intention, willingness, and readiness are there. We will not give up no matter what, Momodu stated.
A former senate president and presidential aspirant, Bukola Saraki has expressed determination to do all that was necessary to make the PDP united ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking through his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the special envoy to Atiku said;
The disagreement within the party is a family issue. Somebody like Dr Saraki is close to all the individuals involved and he gets on well with all of them. As a loyal party man, he is determined to work with others to ensure the party goes into the 2023 polls as a united party.