The crises in the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP may not end anytime soon as Governor Nyesom Wike insisted that the only path for peace is for Iyorchia Ayu to quit as the chairman of the party.
The Rivers State Governor spoke on Wednesday night against speculations that the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar has suspended his campaign for 2023 election over the crises in the party which has persisted over continued stay of Ayu in office.
Wike, four governors and some other PDP chieftains in their camp had boycotted the launch of Atiku’s presidential campaign some days ago in Cross River over their demand that Ayu should vacate office in accordance to the zoning policy of the party.
They argued that it is against the zoning policy of the party for a Northerner to hold the presidential ticket and the chairmanship slot of the party.
But Atiku had refused to wholly support the call, while insisting that any plan to removal Ayu must be in line with the party’s constitution.
However, reports indicated that with the boycott of the launch of his campaign, Atiku is planning to send a strong team made up of former Rivers governor Peter Odili, former Senate President David Mark and others to sheathe their words over Ayu.
However, such may be futile in resolving the crises as Wike declared that nobody can convince him to change his stance that the PDP should yield its national Chairman position to Southern Nigeria on Wednesday evening.
Wike, maintained that he cannot be convinced to support the current status quo, where the PDP Presidential candidate, national chairman and the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign council are all from the north.
According to a press statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media, Wike made the assertion when he hosted Cross River State PDP governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, House of Assembly candidates and PDP local government party Chairmen, at his private residence in Rumueprikom.
During the meeting which was also attended by the party’s South-South national vice chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, Wike explained that the seeming intractable crisis in the party had lingered because some vested interests, whom he described as “hyenas and rent seekers,” have remained obstinate and averse to justice, fairness and equity in the party.
“We have finished Presidential primaries, we have a presidential candidate. Is Wike saying remove Presidential candidate? Is Wike saying remove Vice Presidential candidate? So, what are you begging me for? All I am saying, and I will continue to say is that you have taken President, give us (national) Chairman.
“Nobody wants to speak the truth. If I am saying remove the Presidential candidate, if I am saying remove the vice presidential candidate, then you will say why is he doing this.”
According to him, refusal to cede the national chairman position to the South, will be a recipe for crisis.
“He (national chairman) said, if the presidential candidate comes from the north, he will resign , which means he has had this in mind. Now, the thing has come to reality, now resign, no. And people are saying go and talk to Wike.
“I’ve accepted the Presidential candidate, I have accepted the Vice Presidential candidate, what’s the problem again. You, fulfill your part. Let the South have something, that is all I’m preaching. You cannot have presidential candidate, national chairman, director general of the campaign.”
The governor said it is hypocritical for some people in the PDP to criticise Muslim/Muslim ticket, while supporting that a particular region of the country should retain the Presidency for another eight years.
He insisted that for the sake of holistic peace, PDP should adhere to the tenets of its constitution, which explicitly recommends that when a Presidential candidate emerges from the north, the national chairman should be from the South.
The Governor said the clamour for the Chairman of the PDP to be zoned to the South will persist until justice, fairness and equity prevail in the PDP.
“This is period that power game is being played. If you don’t have it now, forget it. If anybody tells you, let (Iyorchia) Ayu resign after election is conducted, then you are a foolish person. This is the time decision is being made. This is the time the Presidential candidate, national chairman and the leader of campaign will sit, when election is won in February, before the President is sworn in, decisions would have been made.”
The governor disclosed that he has commenced full blown politicking ahead of the 2023 general elections, adding that those who want to undermine him and his allies will be doing so at their own peril.
He thanked Cross River PDP delegates for the support given to him during the presidential primary. According to him, he will remain eternally grateful to them and all the other delegates that voted for him.
“If there is nothing I achieved, I can go home and sleep that I won Cross River State. Not only did I win, I won very well. I feel so happy and that tells you of people who have character of steadfastness. People who will never be pushed around for whatever it is. People who believe in the principles of life, people who believe in fairness, justice and equity.”
Governor Wike said the visit will spur him to continue to support the party in Cross River ahead of the 2023 general elections. He used the occasion to announce the donation of 25 buses to the party.
“This visit will spur me the more to give you support. I am not coming to Cross River to vote, but you are my friends. I have a right to support you.”
Speaking earlier, Cross River PDP governorship candidate, senator Sandy Onor, who led the delegation, said governor Wike remains a trail blazer for justice, fairness and equity.
He stressed that no living person in the contemporary history of the PDP has made more sacrifice for the party than governor Wike.
Onor commended governor Wike for his steadfast support to the party in Cross River, adding that the intent of the visit was to express their profound gratitude for his unparalleled benevolence.
Similarly, the senator presenting Cross River north, senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, noted that without governor Wike’s support, PDP would have been extinct in the State.
On his part, the Cross River State PDP chairman, Venatius Ikem, thanked governor Wike for his unrelenting support to the party.
