A faction of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the Rivers State Governor and a former Presidential aspirant of the party, Nyemson Wike have withdrawn their support for the party’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar unless the party Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu stepped down.
The decision was announced in long hours of meeting that commenced on Tuesday evening into the early hours of Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at the private residence of Wike in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Members of the group said none of them will participate in whatever capacity in the campaign council unless the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, resigns for a southern candidate.
Some members of the group were recently appointed as leaders and members of the campaign council for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Present at this defining gathering at Wike’s residence in Port Harcourt include: Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, Donald Duke of Cross River, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe and Jonah Jang of Plateau, former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke.
Attendees at the meeting in Port Harcourt
Others at the meeting are: Elder statesmen, Olabode George, Jerry Gana; South-South Chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche; Senator Suleiman Nazif, Nnenna Ukeje, among several others.
After over seven hours of private meeting from 7pm on Tuesday, September 20 to past 2am on Wednesday September 21, they gather to briefing journalists on the outcome, with George stating the shocker.
They maintained that their position was not negotiable as the chairmanship of Ayu undermined the unity and constitution of the party.
They further accused Ayu of compromising the May 28 and 29 presidential primary of the party through his conduct.
According to the group “We resolve that we are deeply concerned by the division in our party. We are aware that over the years our party has developed conflict resolution mechanisms that guarantees inclusiveness. The published presidential campaign council list translates to putting the cat before the horse.
“Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of the Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign.
“Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.”On his part, a former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah Jang said: “For a National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to go and embrace Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tanbuwal, calling him the heroe of the convention meant that there was a private arrangement that was done with Tambuwal to shortchange other contestants including Governor Wike.
“Here was a referee, who helped one of his sides to score a goal and then blew the whistle. This is not what we formed the PDP to do for Nigerians. Therefore, we unequivocally ask that Ayu must step down.”
They said their support for Wike was for equity and justice in the party.
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said: “We hope that the powers that be listen to the voice of reason and do the needful.”
A former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, said if the party intended to restructure Nigeria it should have the courage to restructure itself.
“You cannot build on a faulty foundation. This call for the chairman to step down or resign is not because any of us is aggrieved but because we believe it is important to ensure a just, fair, principled and constitutional structure for the party. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we should have the courage to restructure our party.”
The decision of the Rivers governor’s camp comes some days to September 28, the official date for candidates to kick-off campaign as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
