Five PDP governors meet in Enugu as stand-off between Wike and Atiku camp continues

FOUR Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors loyal to their Rivers State colleague Nyesom Wike met in Abuja yesterday to reiterate their demand that national chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign for them to support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

In late June, the PDP elected Alhaji Abubakar as its flagbearer for next year's presidential election at its annual convention. Governor Wike of Rivers State was a candidate in that election but he was beaten into second place and to make matters worse for him, he was not then picked as the party's running mate.

With Alhaji Abubakar opting to pick Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate, Governor Wike has been on the war path and there are now fears that he will dump the PDP. One of the key demands of the Wike camp has been that PDP chairman Senator Ayu stands down, as he, like Alhaji Abubakar is from northern Nigeria and for the sake of unity, it was argued that a southerner should replace him.

Despite Alhaji Abubakar meeting with Governor Wike on Thursday last week to resolve the impasse, the matter has not been sorted out and Senator Ayu remains in office. Yesterday, Governor Wike, Seyi Makinde , Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi all met in Enugu to reiterate their stance that Senator Ayu must go for them to support Alhaji Abubakar's candidacy.

Exasperated by the impasse, Atiku said if the chairman must be removed, due process must be followed by the party’s constitution. After a series of meetings between the two sides failed to address the crisis, Governor Wike and his allies boycotted the inauguration of the party’s presidential campaign council in Abuja last Wednesday.

Senator Olaka Wogu, a close Wike ally, stated that when they met last week, the governor reiterated his demand to the former vice-president that there was no going back on his demand that Senator Ayu must go. He affirmed that the meeting between Atiku and Wike ended in a stalemate after the governor stood firm on his demands.

Unconfirmed reports had claimed that Alhaji Abubakar promised to support Governor Wike for the presidency in 2027, although this was later denied by Atiku’s campaign spokesperson. According to one member of the PDP national working committee, the five governors met to strategise on how to make the party and indeed, Nigeria better.

He added: “The big five governors are meeting, strategising for a better PDP, a better Nigeria where probity, equity and justice reign supreme. They are united for a purpose to ensure Ayu is sacked for the unity of our party.

“A leader on his own said he was going to quit if a northerner emerged as the PDP’s flag bearer, then a northerner emerged but he did not want to go. It is a pity that some have chosen to shut up but these governors are insisting on the right thing to be done and we have to congratulate them."

One other leading member of the aggrieved governors’ camp, added that the governors met to review the conditions given to Alhaji Abubakar during his meeting with Governor Wike in Abuja on Thursday. he said they told him Senator Ayu must go and that the condition is not negotiable, along with several other conditions.

“Atiku agreed that Ayu would go but due process must be followed to avoid a constitutional crisis, so, the aggrieved governors are meeting to fashion out plans for Ayu’s exit and also review some of the conditions they gave to Atiku. They will also look at some of the things Atiku said at the meeting with Wike," he explained.