Ahead of the meetings of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, the cracks in the main opposition party have widened with the southern stakeholders mobilising against the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
It was gathered that the Rivers State governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike; Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Iyiola Omisore, also meet in London at the weekend to explore the areas of collaboration ahead of the 2023 elections.
While Wike and Makinde are of the PDP, Fayemi is of the APC.
This is coming as Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, yesterday clarified that he would not leave the main opposition party, explaining that his alliance with Wike was to negotiate better deals for the South-east.
The meetings were scheduled to decide the composition of the chairman and membership of the party’s presidential campaign council.
With the renewed calls for Ayu’s resignation, there was palpable tension within the camp of the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar following the accusation that he was shielding Ayu from resigning.
It was also gathered that the PDP stakeholders from the South, including the supporters of Wike, are mobilising for a showdown with Ayu’s supporters over his continued stay in office.
Investigations have also revealed that the role played at the party’s presidential primary by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Bello Tambuwal, has made it difficult for the governors to unite and intervene on issues affecting the party.
The southern stakeholders are demanding that Ayu should relinquish his position for the South-west as a strategy against Senator Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid on the platform of the APC.
Investigation revealed that the demand for Ayu to step down is no longer seen as a campaign of Wike, but as a southern agenda.
A member of the NEC from the South who spoke off the record argued that with Atiku from the North-east, Ayu from the North-central and the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State from the North-west, the southern members of the party have been marginalised.
“There is nothing for the South other than the Office of the National Secretary held by Senator Samuel Anyanwu and the vice presidential candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa,” he said.
“Ordinarily, the agitation that Ayu must step down should not necessarily be seen as a Wike’s agenda, but the need for the balancing of power and justice.
“This issue came up during the October 2021 National Convention and even Ayu openly said on ARISE NEWS Channel that he would step down if a northern presidential candidate emerged.
“It is not because of Wike. No, it is because of balancing and justice. It is to give the South a sense of justice and belonging. This is basically what the various organs of the party through the BoT, National Caucus and the NEC will decide before the ratification of the members of the presidential campaign council,” he added.
The source explained that Atiku’s camp has been thrown into panic because there is a strong suspicion that the presidential candidate is backing Ayu.
“This is the time for the presidential candidate to speak out and prove to Nigerians that he can take tough decisions. Atiku’s continued silence on the matter of agitation for Ayu to step down is not golden,” he said.
Another PDP stakeholder from the South said that Ayu would bring only little value to the table.
“What is Ayu bringing into the campaigns that Atiku cannot sacrifice him? I can’t believe that Atiku is this weak to take a tough decision. Let us see how all these will go with the national caucus and NEC meetings.”
Also speaking on the issue, a former governor elected on the platform of the PDP said the manipulations and horse-trading that took place at the presidential convention and the nomination of Okowa as the vice presidential candidate have divided the once-united PDP governors forum.
The former governor noted that because of the role played by the Chairman of the PDP Governors, Tambuwal, a meeting of the party’s governors cannot be called to intervene on issues affecting the party.
The former governor said the governors have thrown their weights behind Atiku and Wike, stating that this is the time for the presidential candidate to step in and restore normalcy within the party members.
The former governor said it is a complete falsehood to think that there is no crisis at hand.
It was further gathered that the Governors of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde; Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Abia State, Dr.Okezie Ikpeazu; Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed and Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom have lined up behind Wike to insist that Ayu must go.
However, Okowa; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel; his counterparts in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri have thrown their weights behind Atiku.
It was learnt that the governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku are said to be sitting on the fence.
The trio of Wike, Ortom, and Makinde left Nigeria for London on Friday.
The trip to London, it was gathered was to conclude plans for their mobilisation for the NEC and national caucus meeting.
Wike, Makinde, Fayemi and Omisore were also said to have met in London to explore areas of collaboration ahead of the 2023 elections.
The source explained that other members of the group were expected to meet them at the London meeting yesterday.
A source close to the Wike’s camp simply said that the members of the camp would not leave anything to chance.
“This is Atiku’s time to show leadership and he should not fail the party. He should weigh in on the matter before NEC and the outcome should be announced there.
“This is the hour of reckoning for Atiku and Ayu. But, if he should play the ostrich, we will help him to lose the election,” the source said.
It was also learnt that Wike is not relenting in his bid to ensure that the NEC and national caucus of the party force Ayu to resign the same way Prince Uche Secondus was forced to vacate the seat as the national chairman.
It was learnt that a series of meetings have been lined up this week in the fight for the soul of the PDP.
“If the PDP survives these series of meetings unhurt, then it could be said that it can win the presidential election.
“This is because there are strong forces against Ayu and we live to see how he can survive it. It is either the PDP breaks or Ayu goes,” a chieftain of the party said.
The source said that as of Thursday about 10 members of the National Working Committee (NWC) have signed that Ayu must go.
It was gathered that even other presidential aspirants that took part in the presidential primary are not happy with the Ayu-led NEC as nobody has reached out to them.
According to them, Atiku met only Tambuwal because he stepped down for him.
