Atiku battles to avert PDP’s collapse, Wike’s loyalists threaten defection

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The disaster rocking the Peoples Democratic Celebration forward of the 2023 common election has worsened with the loyalists of the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike threatening to go away the celebration if their principal (Wike) defects.

Political leaders loyal to Wike, in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Thursday, warned the PDP that they had been able to mobilise different supporters of the governor to dump the nation’s predominant opposition celebration.

However the PDP’s standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar, allayed fears over the disaster within the celebration, saying he would guarantee reconciliation.

Atiku stated this barely 24 hours after Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom accused him of failing to honour the democratic alternative within the choice of his working mate.

Ortom additionally famous that Atiku failed to achieve out to Wike and another aggrieved members of the celebration after deciding on the Delta State, Dr Godwin Okowa, because the vice-presidential candidate regardless of the advice of a 17-man choice committee which nominated Wike.

However Atiku moved to douse the stress, saying efforts had been being made to resolve the grievances of celebration members.

Tweeting by way of his official Twitter deal with @Atiku on Thursday, the PDP presidential candidate assured that “applicable actions have been taken, are being taken, and can proceed to be superior.

“@The Peoples Democratic Celebration will stay united. Deal with our actions. We’re taking motion to deal with the emotions of all celebration members. The unity in our neighborhood is my precedence. Our resolve to unify Nigeria begins in our celebration and strikes to the neighborhood, then on to society.”

“Each governor, legislator, and different elected officers produced by our celebration, and celebration members and loyalists, are a lot beloved and revered by me. Once they communicate, I pay attention. I don’t solely pay attention. Acceptable actions have been taken, are being taken, and can proceed to be superior,” he tweeted on Thursday.

Nevertheless, there are indications that the peace strikes might not have gained the anticipated traction as loyalists of the Rivers State governor seemed to be unconvinced by the olive department supplied by Atiku.

Wike, who has refused to talk publicly since he misplaced the working mate slot to Okowa, can also be giving the Atiku camp and the PDP sleepless nights along with his romance with some opposition events.

The governor had on June 24 hosted the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Celebration, Rabiu Kwankwaso, in Port Harcourt.

The go to occurred a day after the presidential candidate of the Labour Celebration, Peter Obi, visited Wike, sparking speculations about their intentions and the Rivers governor’s plans.

Though the aim of the visits was not made public, Wike’s dalliance with the 2 events has strengthened speculations that he may depart the PDP.

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, who was additionally current on the assembly with Obi, had on Wednesday declared that it was the flip of the South to supply the president in 2023, a direct assault on Atiku’s ambition.

The disaster over the PDP vice-presidential slot festers as Wike is at the moment in Turkey on trip.

Chatting with The PUNCH in separate interviews, some members of the Home of Representatives from Rivers State condemned the selection of Okowa because the PDP vice-presidential candidate.

A member of the Home from Rivers State, who spoke on the situation of anonymity, stated Wike’s loyalists would comply with the governor ought to he determine to defect from the PDP to a different celebration.

“As a matter of precept, these of us from Rivers State, I’m not positive we need to communicate on it for now. However the reality is that anyplace he (Wike) goes, Rivers folks will comply with him,” the lawmaker said.

When requested if these to comply with Wike would come with Nationwide Meeting members from Rivers, the supply restated, “Rivers folks will comply with him however I can’t need to come out to say that now till when the whole lot is settled.”

One other Home member from Rivers, Solomon Bob, stated it will be an understatement to say that Wike had contributed to the PDP greater than every other individual.

“With out Wike, PDP would have been lengthy gone,” he said, including that the governor’s voice was heard throughout the nation, utilizing his vitality and assets to maintain the celebration.

Bob stated, “Those that are making claims now to the person’s labour, the place had been they? The place was Atiku? Atiku ran away. In 2015, he ditched the celebration and went to the APC as a result of he didn’t need (the then President Goodluck) Jonathan to proceed (with a second time period within the PDP).

“He wished to pitch his tent along with his northern brother (Muhammadu Buhari of the APC). In 2019, earlier than he got here to run (for president within the PDP), he was in Dubai. After he misplaced (the election), he went to Dubai once more. Just one man was left with the job and accountability of rebuilding (the PDP) once more and preventing for the unity and cohesion of the celebration, and that’s Wike. With out Wike, there will likely be no PDP, I can inform you that.”

Stating that Atiku dedicated a critical blunder, the lawmaker stated, “Let me inform you: they’ve scored an personal aim; Atiku has scored an personal aim. Will probably be arduous for him. Atiku is in a troublesome state of affairs. As they are saying in English, he’s in over his head.

“Atiku is in over his head. He’s fickle. The largest asset the PDP has is Wike. No person within the PDP has the vitality and the dynamism. You discarded your greatest asset, how will you win?”

The lawmaker said that he agreed with Ortom on the truth that Atiku should have personally met with Wike and reconcile with the governor.

Bon stated Abubakar was frequent at Wike’s home “day and evening” however has failed to point out up there after successful the PDP main.

In his submission, one other Rivers lawmaker, Dagomie Abiante, described Wike as an asset to the PDP, which Atiku failed to grasp and utilise.

He said that the governor “deserved way more” than the VP slot, including that he’s higher than Okowa “in each respect.”

Abiante stated, “He has been a pillar to the celebration; he’s the one talking for the celebration and he speaks for the pursuits of the South. Okowa hosted southern governors throughout celebration strains.

“When you hosted them they usually agreed that the president needed to come again to the South if there needed to be any change, it doesn’t must be from the one that hosted that assembly. There ought to be some degree of morality in politics.”

The lawmaker added, “He had 237 votes (on the PDP presidential main, coming second to Atiku), that merely implies that 237 native authorities areas supported him. Within the PDP, every vote represented one LGA. Is that not an asset?”

Talking on the problem, a former member of the Home of Representatives, Ogbonna Nwuke, in an interview with The PUNCH, stated if Wike dumped the PDP, Rivers supporters would comply with him.

On what Atiku might do to deal with the risk to his aspiration, he stated looking for forgiveness for wrongdoing was not misplaced

He said, “In my opinion, two issues, reconciliation and if you happen to assume you have got offended anyone, say sorry. Each faith that we all know, stresses forgiveness.

“I don’t know what it’s he (Atiku) thinks he can do for Wike presently, besides work assiduously, sincerely to get Wike and his pals to work for his victory. He’s the one who wants them now, and he should do what is correct. So sending emissaries, hiding behind the masks received’t resolve the issue.”

“You must stroll as much as these you need to lead. Display management. And if they’re satisfied by your physique language, they may do what they need to do that will help you too. They’re celebration males, they’ve stated so,” Nwuke, a former Commissioner for Data and Communications said.

He, nonetheless, defined that Wike had not stated something about his political future.

“Up to now, Wike has not stated something about his political future. He has not stated something unfavourable in regards to the celebration. That for me is proof of his maturity. On the fullness of time, Governor Wike will communicate for himself.

“I consider that he’s the one one who can communicate on his intent proper now,” Nwuke said.

A senior advocate of Nigeria, Onueze Okocha, described Wike as a celebration loyalist so far as the PDP was involved, including that the celebration should forestall the Rivers governor’s defection to win the 2023 polls.

He said, “From the start when the PDP was shaped, Wike was with the PDP and he labored for the PDP all by means of and has continued to take action.

Requested if Atiku might change Okowa with Wike since there was nonetheless room for alternative, he stated he wouldn’t make such a suggestion.

On his half, the Chairman of the Gokana Native Authorities Space of the state, Confidence Dekoo, stated Atiku ought to be magnanimous in victory.

Dekoo, who spoke to one in all our correspondents on the phone on Thursday, stated he would abide by any determination taken by Wike.

He said, “At first, all of us are politicians, and that each time after each main or after each election, there’s dignity in permitting each different individual to have that sense of belonging that I’ve succeeded, however be magnanimous in victory.

“What he (Atuku) can do now’s to return all the way down to those that contested election in opposition to him. Don’t neglect that, as all the previous governors you talked about stated, he (Wike) is certainly an element within the PDP immediately.

“Do you need to undermine a person like that that all of us agree is an element? You’ll be able to solely do this at your peril since you are contesting a common election and also you want all arms on deck.

“So, my recommendation can be that sure, attempt to attain out. A telephone name is not going to resolve that sort of drawback, however a go to, bodily visitation.

“The management of the celebration, discuss to him as properly, and he’ll perceive. However to assume that you’ll act as if it doesn’t matter, nobody man can do that factor alone.”

On whether or not he would comply with Wike if he determined to defect to a different celebration, he said, “No matter my boss does is what I’ll do.”

However the spokesperson for the previous vice-president, Paul Ibe, in an interview with one in all our correspondents, famous that the method for the reconciliation of all aggrieved individuals throughout the PDP had commenced.

Ibe, who disclosed this in response to an inquiry from The PUNCH, said, “I’m positive you noticed Atiku’s tweet? That’s the stand now. All different issues will certainly comply with. The method just isn’t as straightforward as you assume. It isn’t one plus one equals two. The method has began similar to Atiku identified within the tweet.

Ortom, in an interview with Channels Tv on Thursday, defined why 14 out of 17 members of a committee arrange by the PDP picked Wike.

He expressed dissatisfaction that Atiku didn’t meet with Wike earlier than and after saying his working mate.

Ortom stated, “ My concern is that the overtures haven’t gone out sufficient to resolve the matter. Even, earlier than the pronouncement, Wike ought to have been reached and made to know the rationale behind the choice made. He would have accepted primarily based on his love for the celebration. “

A former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in an interview with journalists in Kaduna on Thursday, stated Wike had the proper to be offended.

He, nonetheless, suggested Atiku to achieve out to the Rivers State governor to clarify why he picked Okowa.

He said, “I received’t blame Wike For feeling unhealthy as a result of he has been one of many pillars of the Celebration. Let the Presidential candidate, Atiku, sit down with Wike to debate points as a result of he’s the one one which is aware of why he picked his working mate. The matter is resolvable,” he stated.

A political analyst, Tonye Isokariari, described Wike because the celebration’s pillar, noting that he would have been “a robust vice chairman that may give the APC a run for his or her cash.”

A lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, stated it was Wike’s prerogative whether or not or not he chooses to go away the PDP or keep, similar to Peter Obi who left the celebration to be the presidential candidate of the Labour Celebration.