Osun PDP Rally: Wike, Udom, Makinde’s Absence Not Linked To Okowa’s VP Candidacy, Says Aides, Chieftains

Following the conspicuous absence of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors at their party’s mega campaign for the Osun State governorship election on Thursday in Osogbo, their media aides and associates yesterday dispelled claims that they stayed away because they were still protesting the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the Vice presidential candidate of the party.

Recall that governors of River, Akwa-Ibom, and Oyo States, Nyesom Wike, Udom Emmanuel and Seyi Makinde respectively were conspicuously absent at  governorship campaigns rally.

The rally was however attended by PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; his running mate, Okowa; PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; Sokoto State governor and chairman of PDP governors forum, Aminu Tambuwal; Bayelsa State governor, Sen Douye Diri; and his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki.

Governors Wike and Udom were among the three earlier recommended to Atiku for the position of Vice presidential candidate before the choice of Okowa.

But reacting to the absence of his boss, chief press secretary to the Oyo State governor, Taiwo Adisa, in said it was not correct to adduce the absence of some PDP governors from the rally to the friction that trailed Okowa’s emergence as Atiku’s running mate.

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Adisa said Makinde was unable to attend the campaign because he is attending to crucial issues in Europe which coincided with the timing of the Osogbo rally.

He added that the governor provided logistics support for the rally, especially the conveyance of all personalities from the Ibadan Airport to Osogbo.

“Apart from all these, the Chief of staff to the Governor led officials of Oyo State to the rally.” So, there is no truth in the speculations linking the absence of Makinde from the Osogbo rally to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Vice Presidential candidacy.”

Also, immediate past PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiya, said he the Akwa-Ibom State governor would have been in Osogbo but for some unavoidable circumstances.

Dismissing claims that the governor is aggrieved over the choice of Okowa as Atiku’s running mate, Ologbodinyan said, “He is equally not at war with the leadership of the party over the matter. His absence from the Osogbo campaign rally was actually due to circumstances beyond his control.”

Similar, a close source to the Rivers State governor who pleaded anonymity said speculations that Wike deliberately stayed away from the rally because he was aggrieved is untrue.

The source said it’s common knowledge that the governor has been out of the country for about a week now, adding that he just arrived on Thursday nightfrom the United Kingdom (UK).

“I want to also say that there is no truth in the speculations that Wike is leaving the PDP for any party at all. He won’t do that! He is a big leader and  stakeholder in the PDP. Let’s not continue to propagate empty speculations. “

He also explained that the visit of three governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Wike in Port Harcourt was not enough to speculate that the Rivers State governor was set to dump the PDP.