Indications have emerged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has engaged some party leaders, including former governors of the party, to help woo the aggrieved camp led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
It was learnt yesterday that the former vice president met with the party leaders yesterday over how to ensure that the Wike camp returns to the fold and help ensure they work together during the polls.
A source knowledgeable about the meeting said a former governor of Delta State was at the meeting alongside five other party leaders at a private residence in Maitama, a highbrow area in Abuja. It was learnt that the presidential candidate went to the meeting with only close confidants.
The main issue discussed was how to woo the Wike camp to return to the fold because it is clear that the party needs all of them on board,” the source said.
The source added that the party leaders were mindful of the impact of not having the governors onboard for the campaign, especially as they would also help with funding.
When contacted, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, said he was not aware of the meeting.
Governor Wike and four of his colleagues, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), had alongside other party leaders distanced themselves from the party’s presidential campaign council.
They insist on the resignation of Dr Iyorchia Ayu as the PDP national chairman to pave way for southerner to take his place for geopolitical balance.
Wike’s camp had underlined its threat not to associate with the party’s campaign activities as it stayed away from the official flag- off of the party’s presidential campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State yesterday.
While Ayu has insisted on serving out his four-year tenure, with the National Executive Committee (NEC) at its last meeting passing a vote of confidence in his leadership.
It was, however, gathered that the new effort to woo the Wike camp could have forced the party to reschedule its campaign rallies for Kebbi and Zamfara States today. It was learnt that the directorate fixed a meeting for late yesterday night to restrategise on its rallies.
A spokesperson for the Atiku Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, confirmed to LEADERSHIP that the rallies for Kebbi and Zamfara had been rescheduled.
Ologbondiyan said, “The campaign for Kebbi and Zamfara was rescheduled. The campaign is fully on course. PDP and our candidate, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, are fully focused on rescuing Nigeria from the utter maladministration of the APC.”
However, Atiku’s meeting with the party leaders came as indications emerged that the Board of Trustees (BoT) may have submitted their report on reconciliation of assignment yesterday.
Another party source told LEADERSHIP that the advisory body was billed to submit the report to the party yesterday.
He added that it is likely that the body might request for more time to work out a reconciliation deal.
However, when contacted, the BoT chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, neither responded to text messages sent to him nor picked his calls.
When the BoT met Wike last week, LEADERSHIP learned that the Rivers State governor had insisted on Ayu’s resignation, requesting that the BoT, a father of the party, should tell the national chairman to go and allow a party chairman from the South to emerge.
Ignoring Wike, Makinde, Others Unwise – Sen Nnamani
Meanwhile, former Enugu State governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP, Enugu East) has cautioned the PDP leadership against ignoring the five PDP governors as it kickstarts presidential campaigns for the forthcoming 2023 elections.
Nnamani, a two-time former governor of Enugu state from 1999- 2007, said it is sheer arrogance on the part of the party leadership to ignore a critical group of five sitting governors.
Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Okezie Ikpeazu(Abia) and their supporters were conspicuously absent as Atiku Abubakar/Ifeanyi Okowa flagged-off presidential campaigns in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state on Monday.
Senator Nnamani frowned at the development, saying that the party leadership should have done more in a give-and-take manner to carry the aggrieved party faithful along.
He said: “Today, I go on record in total condemnation of the treatment of the five governors, mostly from the southern states within the PDP. The governors are our leaders and their humiliation rubs off on all of us”.
Senator Nnamani recalled that state governors were not treated with ignominy during his day.
He cautioned against erecting parallel structures in the five governors’ states, stressing that “politics is local and the folks from these affected states parading with the PDP leadership will not deliver their polling booths without the governors.
“Without the involvement of the governors that are our leaders , these mere cheer leaders and feel-good political operatives cannot deliver.
“They can drag themselves from their home states to Abuja. Some are Abuja permanent residents. They dress the meetings and colour the rallies, but that is what it is : political colour dressing,” he said.
Wike Appoints 14,359 Advisers, Liaison Officers
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has appointed 14,359 persons as advisers and liaison officers for various political units.
The governor, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, said a total of 14,000 persons were appointed as advisers while 359 persons were appointed as local government and ward liaison officers.
The statement said the appointments were with immediate effect.
It read in part: “In addition to the 14,000 advisers, Governor Wike has also appointed 319 Ward Liaison Officers and 40 Local Government Area Liaison Officers. The appointments are with immediate effect.”
At LEADERSHIP Twitter Spaces, PDP Urged Not To Ignore ‘Obidient’ Movement
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been advised to put its house in order or be ready for a shocker, as the Obidient Movement poses a threat to it.
Also, some speakers said the All Progressives Congress (APC) should also be worried about the Obidient Movement but not as much as the PDP.
Speaking at the LEADERSHIP Twitter Spaces, a weekend conversation that highlights issues and intrigues ahead of the 2023 elections, speakers across party lines said the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement were ready to surprise people in the polls.
Speaking, the grandson of former president of Nigeria, Bello Shagari, said PDP was a threat to his party, the APC, but that the current crisis and the fact that Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso and Peter Obi left their fold made it easier for the ruling party.
“Obi alone cannot bring the desired change that Nigeria requires. APC will win because the PDP is divided, ” he said.
Also, a political analyst, Kay Aiyemomi, said people in the Southern part of the country are joining the Labour Party and that they only want to make a statement with the Obidient Movement.
“The statement we want to make is to say that everyone can decide the future of the country, ” he said.
On his part, Dr John Paul Ogbonna said anyone that said he is not worried about the Obidient Movement might be living on another planet.
“Yes, Obidient Movement doesn’t have a structure. Buhari won Sokoto, but APC lost the gubernatorial election. In Bauchi, Buhari won but APC with an incumbent governor lost.
“We are not going to have Buhari on the ballot, and from the INEC data, 75 percent of the new registrants are youths and they are the same people that want change. PDP and APC may have a shocker. Maybe PDP should be more worried about the South East and the South South because no candidate will defeat Obi there.
“In the APC, the Muslim-Muslim ticket is a problem for them. In Kebbi State, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Plateau, they have huge Christian populations. Both APC and PDP are working hard to disorganise the Obidient Movement but it won’t work, “Ogbonna said.
On her part, Nima Salis said the entire political establishment should be worried about the Obidient Movement adding that they are still predicting the same old ways.
“All they talk about is the Peter Obi movement. The Obidient Movement is organic. A lot of young people spent their entire day working hard for Obi to win,” she said.
On his part, another respondent, Mr Cliff Ayozie, said the incumbency factor was broken in 2015, adding that during Jonathan’s government, some of the governors worked against the incumbent, which is still happening today.
“We have an electoral system that has been improved upon and many of the governors are working for the Obidient Movement, ” he said.
A law lecturer in Port Harcourt, Barr Dike Amadi, said he is a member of the PDP but that his party cannot afford to be fractured since APC wants to remain in power.
“Atiku wants to unify the country but cannot unify the party. The Peter Obi movement is a pro-people movement. Peter Obi’s candidacy is hurting the PDP the most,” he said.
A member of the PDP, Barr Anthony Ehilebo, said their candidate, Atiku Abubakar has the better chance of winning the 2023 presidential election than any of the candidates.
“Forget about the propaganda. Tell me which of the presidential candidates will get 25 percent in all the states. It’s only the PDP that has the structure in all the states. It sounds funny when some people claim they are members of a political party but say things that are contrary,” Ehilebo said.
Also, Prof Usman Modibbo of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), said APC and PDP should be worried about the Obidient Movement because things are changing.
“APC should be worried because the Buhari factor will not be there. The block vote of Buhari will not be there. PDP should be worried because they worked against themselves and APC won in 2015.
“NNPP’s Kwankwanso will get certain number of votes that are for the PDP in the North. APC Muslim -Muslim ticket will cost it some votes in the middle Belt.
“For the PDP, the chunk of their votes was coming as a block from the South East. Obi will reduce some votes for the PDP.
