The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for President in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, has suffered a new setback as another Governor has threatened to dump the former Vice President.
The threat comes as Atiku has yet to address the grievances of the five PDP governors, led by Rivers State’s Nyesom Wike, who has vowed not to support him unless Iyorchia Ayu steps down as National Chairman and is replaced by a southerner.
According to information obtained by WITHIN NIGERIA, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed is also planning to withdraw his support for Atiku for the presidency in 2023.
Mohammed, a former presidential candidate, has been named Vice Chairman, North-East of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, but is said to be at odds with Atiku over recent developments.
Despite his position on the council, it is understood that the Bauchi State Governor feels slighted and excluded from developments in the campaign strategy, particularly in the Northeast region.
According to sources, he believes Atiku is not treating him with respect and confidence, which has led to a schism between them.
The Governor also complained that, of all the PDP presidential candidates, he was the only one who did not visit Atiku after the primaries for reconciliation.
According to sources quoted by The Nation, the brewing disagreement prompted the visit to Bauchi State on Saturday by the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, along with the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
Mohammed was said to have previously expressed his concerns to Ayu in a letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman.
The source said:
You know Bala has been a committed party man, but he is unhappy that he was not been carried along as the Vice Chairman (North-East) of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council.
He said he suspected that Atiku had not been keen on his second term aspiration. He said based on intelligence, it was discovered some Atiku’s loyalists in Bauchi have been allegedly undermining his re-election bid.
What pained the Governor most was that he was the only presidential aspirant who Atiku refused to visit for rapprochement or reconciliation after the primaries.
Bala then seized the opportunity of his recent birthday to organize a mega rally in Bauchi to show his strength to the party and prove that he is not a pushover. Atiku was excited at the rally.
Another source added:
The Governor threatened to quit the presidential campaign council since he was not wanted.
Why Atiku Is Angry
According to a PDP leader who was quoted on the disagreement between Atiku and Mohammed, the PDP presidential candidate is unhappy that the Bauchi State Governor contested the PDP 2023 ticket with him and, more importantly, that the Governor refused to step down like others.
The two leaders are said to have developed mutual suspicion due to this.
I think Atiku was unhappy that Bala contested the presidential primary with him from the same Northeast.
Also, when Bala was prevailed upon to step down, he refused. The PDP candidate cannot trust his full commitment to his aspiration, the source said.
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