–As Wike’s Men Demand PDP Chairman’s Sack

The currents efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had a sudden twist yesterday as Wike’s men demand removal of the party’s Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, as a condition for peace.

Insiders however confided in NewsOrient that the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is currently not disposed with the idea of removing Ayu, even as he desires desperately to reconcile with Wike and avert the possibility of mass defection of Wike’s supporters against PDP and Atiku.

It would be recalled that over the weekend, the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a reconciliatory committee to meet with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over the fallout of the party’s presidential primary and crisis trailing the nomination of a running mate.

The committee is to be headed by the party’s Presidential Candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and has 13 PDP governors as members.

Chairman of the party’s BOT, Senator Walid Jibril, who made the announcement in a statement on Sunday, said the visit to Governor Wike would take place immediately after Atiku and the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, return to the country from their vacation abroad.

“I have noted with a great concern and great sense of feeling on the various recent comments coming from some of our PDP members and some prominent Nigerians on the choice of Chief Okowa, the Governor of Delta State, as the Vice-Presidential candidate by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of our Party PDP – the biggest party not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa,” he said, adding, “All the comments and various submissions are very normal in any political setup in Nigeria today with PDP being the strongest and most prominent party that has all potential to form government in 2023.”

He said the reconciliatory committee will also comprise the party’s Vice-Presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, of Delta State, as well as Ayu and members of the PDP National Working Committee.

Other members of the committee include, Governor of Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is the PDP Vice Presidential Candidate; PDP governors, former ministers among other important personalities.

Senator Jibrin said Governor Wike is “a very responsible and obedient PDP member who assisted tremendously in building the party to its present status.”

He also appealed to party members in Rivers not to leave the party ahead of the reconciliatory meeting with Governor Wike.

“We must come back to our senses by all our members and all most responsible and respectful Nigerians by giving total support to the party to enable it to form government by holding all political positions in Nigeria in 2023,” the BOT chairman said.

“We must come together and unite ourselves as earlier established by our founding fathers. We should, therefore, shun any bad comment aimed at dividing us. We must be ready to forgive ourselves, thereby encouraging Nigerians to continue supporting us and our party.

“It is my strong appeal to all current and former governors and former Presidents of Nigeria not to add more fuel to the fire but to always try to quench the fire from spreading. May I say it loud that we commend all our current PDP governors for their greatest assistance to the party always.”