PDP crisis deepens as Wike, three other aggrieved Govs leave for Spain

Newsflash Nigeria StaffOctober 15, 2022

2 minutes read

The crisis of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened as Governor Nyesom Wike and other three aggrieved governors travelled to Spain for a crucial meeting.

The aggrieved governors known as G5 left the country for Madrid on Friday night hours after the Rivers Governor laid more allegations on the party Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, the Nation reports.

Those on board with Wike are Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) as the Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi may join subsequently.

Recall that Wike, during a media chat in Port Harcourt on Friday, heaped more allegations on Ayu maintaining that the national chairman lacked the integrity to lead the party’s campaign for 2023.

Following the outcome of the party’s presidential primary election, the aggrieved Governors had insisted that it is unfair for the party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the North.

They said until Ayu resigns his position as chairman of the party, they would jettison the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 election.

Wike said the crisis of the PDP will not be resolved unless Senator Iyorcha Ayu resigned as the party’s national chairman.

He vowed not to back down on his call for Ayu’s resignation, saying there was nowhere in the party’s constitution where the president and the chairman of the party would come from the same zone.

He, however, said the PDP was not divided but that people have refused to do the right thing.

He said, “They are denying my people their own right. This has nothing to do with Northern domination. Zone the chairmanship to anywhere in the South, not necessarily Rivers State.

“We are not going to back down. Some of them are hypocrites that want to eat the crumbs from the master’s table. There is no single law in the PDP that allows these two positions to come from the same zone.

“Live and let me live. Take and let me take. If the President comes from the North, let the National Chairman to the South. What is wrong with that?”

Asked if he was not thinking of making concessions, he said, “That I said I am not leaving the PDP is enough concession. What concession have they made?”

He further said integrity matters a lot, pointing out that the PDP presidential candidate met him one-on-one and made promises to him (Wike) but that he had refused to honour his words.

Wike said, “He (Atiku) met me one-on-one but has he implemented the agreement? If I leave the PDP today, the party cannot win Rivers State.

“Nobody can toy with us. If the five governors say we are leaving the party today, do you know what that means?

“Forget about all these things happening now. We are not just ordinary governors. We are formidable governors. If you want to win the election, why not do the right thing?”