Standing his ground that the Chairman of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sen Iyorcha Ayu must vacate seat, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who is aggrieved with the party leadership said though he has accepted the candidacy of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, yet he would not shift ground on the call for the resignation/removal of Ayu.
This, he said, was based on Ayu’s promise that he would resign if the Presidential candidate of the party emerged from the North.
Wike held that he would not compromise his ground on the demand by key stakeholders compelling Ayu to vacate his national chairmanship of the party for a southerner as agreed upon.
Wike, who again, made his stance known while hosting Cross River State PDP governorship and all state and national assembly candidates along with local government chairmen at his private residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Wednesday night, also said genuine efforts to amicably resolve the impasse in the PDP were being frustrated by rent-seekers in the party.
Addressing his guests including the South-South National Vice Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, present, Wike fingered perceived “hyenas and rent seekers,” as remaining obstinate and averse to justice, fairness and equity in the party.
He said, “We’ve finished presidential primaries. We have a presidential candidate. Is Wike saying to remove the presidential candidate? Is Wike saying to remove the vice presidential candidate? So, what are you begging me for?
“All I am saying, will continue to say is you have taken president, give us national chairman. Nobody wants to speak the truth. If I am saying remove the presidential candidate, remove the vice presidential candidate, then you will say why is he doing this?
“He (Ayu) 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, he says no. And people are saying go and talk to Wike.
“I’ve accepted the presidential candidate, accepted the vice presidential candidate, what’s the problem again? You, fulfil 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.
“This is the period the power game is being played. If you don’t have it now, forget it. If anybody tells you, to let Ayu resign after the 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 the campaign will sit; when the election is won in February before the president is sworn in, decisions would have been made.”
Stating that he has won Cross River, he said, “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 the 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. This visit will spur me 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.”
Cross River PDP governorship candidate, Sen Sandy Onor, who led the delegation, said Governor Wike remains a trailblazer for justice, fairness and equity that no living person in the contemporary history of the PDP has made more sacrifice for the party than Wike.
Meanwhile, as the PDP Presidential Campaign continues to suffer resistance from key southern party bigwigs including State Governors on Wike’s camp, the Rivers State Governor again boycotted the presidential campaign of the party which held in Kaduna on Thursday.
It was gathered same day, Wike and four other aggrieved governors, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) scheduled a meeting in London, United Kingdom.
The Governors and other aggrieved party bigwigs had withdrawn their membership of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council amid calls for the removal of Ayu as the National Chairman of the party.
The aggrieved stakeholders had similarly shunned the kick off of the Presidential campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital.
Although Wike had earlier declared his dissatisfaction over Atiku’s choice of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate, he had recently said his only bone of contention is now the resignation/removal of Ayu and his replacement by a southerner.
Efforts by all the party leaders including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, to reconcile Atiku and Wike’s camps have ended in deadlock.
The Wabara-led Board of Trustees had set up a reconciliation committee to intervene in the long-running crisis – a move which has failed to broker peace.
Meanwhile, Wike has vowed to remain in the party but to distance himself from the presidential campaigns unless Ayu leaves – a development which if not resolve may translate to Wike and his allies working for a presidential candidate of another party in the February 2023 election.
