The photograph of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is conspicuously missing on the party’s branded vehicles for campaigns for the 2023 general election in Rivers State.
The branded vehicles, numbering about 25 are set to be unveiled on Monday, October 24, 2022, along with the party campaign council secretariat, located along Woji Road in GRA, Port Harcourt.
The campaign council, christened “New Rivers Vision Consolidation Project”, has former PDP chairman in the State, Chief Felix Obuah, as director-general while Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is the chairman.
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Recall that Wike, along with other governors including Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), have been having running battles with the national leadership of the PDP over the continued stay in office of Senator Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s national chairman.
The G-5 PDP governors have also given the replacement of Ayu as pre-condition for supporting the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in 2023 presidential election.
But, speaking with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt on Sunday, a former member of the House of Representatives, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, said the fact that the campaign vehicles are emblazoned in PDP colours is a confirmation of Wike and other four governors of their membership of the party.
Nwuke said: “I haven’t seen the buses myself. I will have the opportunity to confirm it when the campaign office opens its doors to public on Monday. If as you said, the branded buses are not carrying images of Atiku, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
“Members of the G5 (Five PDP Governors) have vowed to remain in the PDP. The fact that the buses are emblazoned in PDP colours is a confirmation of their membership of the party.
“It is on record that that the G5 has withdrawn from the Atiku campaign council. If, as you said, the buses are not carrying Atiku’s face, it will ordinarily means that the G5 states have kept faith with their pledge not to campaign for Atiku if he refuses to listen to demands for fair play in the PDP.
“What you see is a commitment to deliver PDP candidates and a fulfilment of the vow to stay out of the Atiku campaign if Atiku treats the South with levity.
“As you know, reconciliation in the PDP is a work in progress. That’s what the party says. We hope that the party would guarantee progress which aims at some p0level of inclusiveness.”
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