Nyesom Wike's camp issues the PDP a precondition for negotiation with Atiku over their roles in his campaign

By Bisi Abidoye


Details have emerged on the resolutions taken at a meeting of a group of leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the crisis in the main opposition party.

The meeting was hosted on Sunday at the Rivers State Governor’s lodge in Abuja by Governor Nyesom Wike.

Most of those in attendance had backed the governor ahead of the PDP presidential primary, which he lost to a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting on Sunday, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Jerry Gana, said the group was meeting for the first time to review the primary, which was held at the party’s national convention in Abuja, and the developments in the party ahead of the kick-off of electioneering.

Mr Gana hinted that the group took some decisions, but he did not disclose them.

“We know that developments will unfold, and when they do, we shall brief Nigerians. We met together for the first time after the primaries of the PDP.

“We have frankly reviewed matters among ourselves. We want to confirm we are solidly together as a group.”

However, multiple insiders have told PREMIUM TIMES that the meeting extensively deliberated on the dispute between Mr Wike and Atiku over the presidential candidate’s choice of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.

Mr Wike has avoided Atiku since the announcement of the running mate. On Friday, the Rivers governor accused Atiku of telling lies and deploying some leaders of the party as “attack dogs” against him.

The crisis is said to be delaying Atiku’s composition of his campaign organisation.

But according to sources at the Abuja meeting of Sunday, the group insisted that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, must step down to allow another person from the south of Nigeria to take his place.

The leaders said this would be their precondition for any meeting with Atiku over their roles in his campaigns for the 2023 election.

The group decried the lopsidedness of the leadership of the party in favour of the northern zones. Mr Ayu, an ally of Atiku, is from Benue State in the Northcentral zone, while the presidential candidate is from Adamawa State in the Northeast zone.

The leaders noted that aside from those two, Mr Ayu’s immediate lieutenant in the party’s National Working Committee, Umaru Damagum (Deputy National Chairman, North), the chairman of its Board of Trustees, Walid Jibrin; and the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, are all from the North,

“How can a party that is systematically one-sided sell itself in the South? one of the sources who spoke with this newspaper said.

The leaders also accused Atiku of sidelining party leaders outside his core supporters in his decision-making. They said they were aware that those in Atiku’s camp have allegedly shared key government positions among themselves, even before next year’s elections.

“How can we work for a presidential candidate who is already sidelining other leaders who are not in his camp and expect that he would change when he becomes president?

“The candidate has not demonstrated good faith at all. The election is for Atiku to lose. If he wants to win, he knows what to do. The ball is in his court. We were clear at the meeting that he alone can decide if he wants to win or lose the election,” the source.

The meeting also accused Mr Ayu of dividing rather than unifying the PDP since his emergence as National Chairman.

“The minimum condition for negotiation is that the chairman has to step down. We have resolved not to leave the party. We will stay at the party and fight from within the party.

Fifty-one persons attended the meeting, including five governors and seven former governors.
The governors who attended the meeting were Mr Wike (of Rivers), Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State. Two other governors were said to have sent their regrets for not being able to attend.

Also in attendance were former governors Donald Duke of Cross River, Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi, Jonah Jang of Plateau and Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe. A former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose, was also said to have been absent for health reasons.

Also at the meeting were a former PDP Deputy National Vice Chairman (North), Suleiman Nazif; and a former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke.

Others are sitting and former senators Hosea Agboola, Phillip Aduda, Zainab Kure, Garba Lado, Sandy Onoh, Olaka Nwogwu and many members of the House of Representatives.

Also in attendance were Mohammed Sani Abacha, the party’s governorship candidate in Nasarawa , David Ombugadu, and Mike Omeri, a former director-general of the National Orientation Agency.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/546251-inside-details-of-wikes-anti-atiku-meeting-with-pdp-associates.html

lalasticlala

Any gathering of Anti Atiku and Anti Agbadorians Alias "The Weavils" is a welcome development for those of us who are Obidient and Yusufull to LP and general growth of Nigeria and Nigerians.

Now, we've got our PVC at hand.......I only pray for God's protection and Longlife till 2023 and beyond 2023 when the Wonders of PVC will be displayed to the shocking dismay of those other two Old hags who sees Aso Villa as thier home of retirement. (Amen)

Obidatti is a Movement!
Obidatti is a Revolution!!
Obidatii is a Tsunami!!!

What exactly does Wike want?

I am sure he'd, among other things, ask for the refund of his dollars spent at the primary where Atiku outspent him before he could support him for d election
In the end sha, they'd loose OBIdiently nd gallantly

Wike lacks the true spirit of polityship, so to speak.

Give Wike Lollipop and he will stop crying

In my opionon, their demands are fair. I will accept the terms if I am HE Atiku.

On the mandate of Asiwaju Tinubu I stand .

Chinkoalhaji34:
Vote Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Don't waste your vote.

Isn't it far better to loose your money than unknowingly using it to buy what'd kill you?
I am proudly wasting it #OBIdiently

easy my people

Tinubu is the only candidate that can move Nigeria forward, you can check his good record when he was the Lagos state governor.I have dedicated my time in making sure that Jagabn becomes the next president of this country.

Jagaban 2023.

Anything to scatter PDP and APC camp is welcomed by Me..

Wicked wike,he will work for us from within pdp,atiku than run to dubia after he lost the ladt election wike single handedly funded pdp for years

No matter the preach of hate by the opposition, tinubu will always shower them with love. God bless Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Chinkoalhaji34:
Vote Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Don't waste your vote.

Yoruba muslim miscreant, at age 34, you still don't have sense.

The Atiku in his desperation to lay his filthy klepto fingers on the treasury is prepared to agree to any terms presented to him and that includes even making the toutish arrogant and unhinged Wike the CBN governor.

Nigerians, make una pity una and una children future oh...

As we all brace up for the next election, the future of Nigeria is important to all of us.

We need a leader with proven track record of achiement and a leader who knows how to generate revenue for the state. Bola Ahmad Tinubu increased Lagos state IGR with over 700% during the period he governed. Please vote Tinubu for prosperity in Nigeria.

Salewa97:
As we all brace up for the next election, the future of Nigeria is important to all of us.

We need a leader with proven track record of achiement and a leader who knows how to generate revenue for the state. Bola Ahmad Tinubu increased Lagos state IGR with over 700% during the period he governed. Please vote Tinubu for prosperity in Nigeria.

And he retrieved same back.
- what’s the source of his Amassed wealth
- what’s his Age ?
- what schools did he attend?
- who runs the Lagos state Economy
- what are his present ruling strategy
- why is his interest in Ruling a desperate move?
- Does he have respect for the rule of law ?
- the method he adopted and ruled lagos, can that stand the test of time? Can that be used for the betterment of our nation?
- who were his Benefactors? Was Merit a criteria ?
- the questions can go on and on.

But if you can in clear conscience answer this Few questions and still find him worthy, then by all means I wish your future the best ..

Chinkoalhaji34:
Vote Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Don't waste your vote.

Tinubu is a drug lord... The future of Nigeria can't be left in his hands