Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
As they did when describing the Rivers State governor’s demands at a meeting with the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in London on Thursday, several Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders expressed shock and disbelief over the anti-party activities of Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Atiku is scheduled to return home to officially welcome Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, a former governor of Kano State, into the major opposition party.
Wike was accused of engaging in anti-party activities by meeting with Senator Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, and Mr. Peter Obi, the candidate for the Labour Party (LP), by members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT), and National Executive Committee (NEC).
During the meeting in London, Wike’s supporters reportedly increased their demands on Atiku in an effort to persuade him to back the former vice president’s presidential campaign.
Wike and his allies demanded, among other things, that Atiku put his promise to serve for only one term in writing if he wins, to pave the way for a transfer of power to the South; to produce the new PDP National Chairman from the South-west geopolitical zone once Ayu steps down; that the Wike camp produce the Senate President, principal officers of the National Assembly, and key ministers if the PDP wins; and that the Wike camp produce the Senate President,
Atiku cannot trade off key party leaders due to his desire. He characterized Wike’s demands as irrational and self-centered.
“Wike is even acting in blatantly anti-party ways. When he returned, he stated outright that they are still consulting, giving the impression that he makes decisions on behalf of the group. He posed the question, “What is he trying to accomplish by engaging with other political groups the way he did at the London summit?
In a similar vein, a former governor referred to Wike’s demands as vexatious and insisted that Atiku or the PDP would not accept them as reported in the media.
“If what is already in the public space is true,” said the former governor who urged the PDP and Atiku to call Wike’s bluff. “The peace deal is dead on arrival.”
The former governor stated that there is a need to harmonize the roles after acknowledging that the north had important positions.
But he criticized Wike’s team for asking for the Senate President to appear.
“How can Wike’s camp mention the Senate President’s Office? The request is egotistical. If the PDP wins a majority of seats in the Senate in 2023, he anticipates that Sokoto State Governor Hon. Aminu Tambuwal may want to run for Senate President.
Track learned that if Wike wins the senatorial election in 2023, his camp would like Senator Adamu Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi State, to serve as the Senate President.
Additionally, it was learned that Wike’s camp will suggest Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, a former governor of Ondo State, as the national chairman of the party if Dr. Iyorchia Ayu’s request to resign as the party’s national chairman is granted.
It was learned that the camp also favours Dr. Bukola Saraki, a former president of the Senate, to serve as the chairman of the party’s presidential campaign committee.
Atiku to call Wike’s bluff and the governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde.
He added that the governor of Rivers State has a lot on the line and would prefer not to gamble with it.
There are 45 candidates for the 2023 elections, including three senatorial candidates, eight House of Representatives candidates, 32 state assembly members, a candidate for governor, and a candidate for deputy governor. Wike’s career and political future depend on the decision he makes.
Makinde of Oyo State, Ortom of Benue State, and Ikpeazu of Abia State—both of whom are even PDP senate candidates—all fall within the same category.
Unfortunately, they must wait until after the presidential and National Assembly elections, the results of which could influence the upcoming elections the next week.
Because of this, the NEC member said, “it would be unthinkable to see Wike eat his nose to spite his face, in a fit of wrath, whether or not he grasped the olive branch provided to him by Atiku in London.
Today, Atiku returns to Nigeria to welcome Shekarau into the PDP.
Atiku is getting ready to return home to officially welcome Ibrahim Shekarau, the former governor of Kano State, into the PDP.
Shekarau recently left the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), citing the lack of accommodations made for his followers in the party’s elected offices.
Today (Sunday), Atiku is anticipated to return from Europe, where he met with Wike.
Shekarau is scheduled to meet with the former vice president before he formally joins the PDP.
After months of leadership squabbles with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Shekerau defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the NNPP in May 2022.
The senator for Kano Central claimed that he left the APC because it was unable to resolve the conflict between his camp and Ganduje’s.
But his new partnership with the NNPP didn’t last long.
He said that the NNPP, led by the party’s presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, had failed to incorporate his supporters.
Shekarau charged Kwankwaso with breaking their pre-defection agreement.
“I won’t ever support injustice. No political position can force me to compromise my integrity or the integrity of my people. Nobody will undermine my integrity with power or wealth, he had promised.
Nobody will be able to influence my morals by using money. When I served as governor of Kano for eight years, people trusted in my integrity.
He remained a PDP member until 2018, when he left the party as a result of divisions inside the party’s Kano State chapter.
Party Crisis Will Be Solved Quickly, According to Former National Chairman
In a related development, Dr. Haliru Bello, a former national chairman of the PDP, stated over the weekend that the party would win the 2023 presidential election and that the internal strife currently dividing the main opposition group would be resolved in earnest. Bello also served as the chairman of the PDP’s BoT between May 2015 and February 2016.
In a television interview on Friday, he reiterated his hope and said that the PDP had seasoned politicians working to break the impasse.
He stated that the PDP was able to “address various problems in the past to become stronger” because to the skill of its leaders. Any electioneering usually involves a nomination issue.
“We have always survived them. However, this one is a little different due of Governor Wike’s significance to our party. Keep in mind that he supported the party throughout our dire Ali Modu Sheriff situation. Since then, he has served as the party’s bedrock of support. Since we lost the 2015 election, the party was actually rebuilt, due to him and a few other governors.
“However, the nomination issue, and particularly the nomination of the running mate, this time, became troublesome, not because Atiku Abubakar established the committee, but rather because in 2019, when the vice president was nominated without consultation, there was a great deal of controversy.
Atiku addressed that oversight this time around and sought extensive input from party members before announcing his running mate. But the issue is that there are usually a number of candidates for any appointment or nomination.
“I think that the manner in which it was handled prior to the announcement was the root of the issue, and people have a right to feel belittled as a result. Since Wike was anticipating being nominated, he has every right to feel belittled. He was not informed of the judgment before it was made public. I believe that was the error that was committed. Although it’s a small problem. Wike is a devoted party member. He has been backing the party, as I mentioned earlier. He’ll want the PDP to prevail in the race for president.
“I believe he will support Atiku Abubakar and put in a lot of effort to ensure that the PDP wins the presidential election after being advised and comforted. After this meeting in Port Harcourt, I have no doubt that everything will be resolved out.
He said that while he had not noticed PDP leadership failings during the crisis, the one error he had found was the party’s BoT’s tardy response to the requirement to properly inform Wike prior to the choice of the vice presidential candidate.
The issue might not have arisen if Wike had been handled correctly, according to the former national chairman. Wike and some other party members felt betrayed by the development. But once the necessary equipment was in place, the issue would soon be resolved.
