How Atiku and Wike Clash Over PDP Senate Leader Position

Ilesanmi AdekanbiJune 27, 2023

3 minutes read

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a leadership crisis in the Senate as two of its prominent members, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, are backing different candidates for the minority leader position.

Atiku is supporting former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who is seen as a potential presidential contender in 2023. Wike, on the other hand, is rooting for Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe, who represents Cross River North.

The rift between Atiku and Wike dates back to the 2019 presidential primary elections, where Wike supported Tambuwal over Atiku’s ambition, but Atiku won and refused to step down for Tambuwal. This caused a rift between Atiku and Wike that persisted until 2022 when Tambuwal betrayed Wike’s trust and endorsed Atiku for a second time. Wike is seeking revenge against Tambuwal for his disloyalty in the presidential primaries.

“Tambuwal is Atiku’s choice as the PDP Senate leader while Wike is also pushing for Jarigbe as minority leader. Wike is looking for an opportunity to get back at Tambuwal over the presidential elections primary elections”, a source said.

“He is still bitter. But the party would not allow him to try the same thing he did during the national elections with the National Assembly.”

Wike’s campaign for Jarigbe is also seen as a way to assert his influence in the PDP and the National Assembly. He is said to have the backing of four other PDP governors, namely Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Samuel Ortom of Benue. The group is known as the G-5.

However, the PDP leadership is said to have endorsed Tambuwal as the party’s choice for the Senate minority leader position. The party believes that Tambuwal has the experience and competence to lead the opposition in the upper chamber, having served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the past.

The party also wants to avoid a repeat of the scenario that played out in 2015, when Senator Godswill Akpabio emerged as the minority leader against the party’s wish. Akpabio later defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and became a minister.

Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku speaking on the battle, explained that Atiku’s backing of Tambuwal aligns with the party’s position.

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He noted, “The position of the minority leader of the Senate should be taken by the biggest opposition party which is the PDP. The PDP will naturally vie for the role in consultation with other opposition party members in the Senate. This is how the minority leader will emerge.

“If the party is backing Tambuwal and Atiku Abubakar happens to support this, there is nothing wrong with that. It is the prerogative of the party to decide who they think can champion the interest of the party in the hallowed chamber. Normally, they will support someone whose competence they can vouch for.

“If Atiku and the PDP are on the same page on this, it is merely a coincidence because the former Vice President has always been a party man.”

Confirming his former principal’s stance, Nathanial Ikyur, ex-Chief Press Secretary to former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said that Ortom would back Wike’s choice.

He said, “Ortom will support Wike and I can tell you that for Wike to identify with Senator Jarigbe, that means the man (Jarigbe) is the choice of the G-5. The group is intact and they make decisions together. All five of them are together. Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ortom, and Wike are together. They resolved to always stand together before, during and after the elections. Nothing has changed even after the elections.”

The battle for the Senate minority leader position has created tension within the PDP caucus in the Senate and put pressure on both the Senate President and the House Speaker. The two presiding officers are said to be treading carefully to avoid being seen as taking sides in the matter.

The final decision on who becomes the minority leader will be made by the PDP senators in consultation with other opposition senators. The outcome of this decision will have implications for the unity and stability of the PDP and its role as an effective opposition party in Nigeria.