By Moses Adeniyi
Indications that the Presidential Campaign of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may suffer the fate of setback as feared over irreconcilable crisis, have emerged stronger, as five State Governors of the party shunned the flagged off of its presidential campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The party’s official flag-off on Monday, barely four months to the February 25 2023 presidential election, is coming amidst crises among bigwigs of the party – a tussle which poses threat to the party’s Presidential Campaign.
Taking place at the Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo on Monday, the five State Governors who shunned the flag-off included Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ifeanyi Ugwunayi of Enugu State.
The five State Governors are among other aggrieved party bigwigs demanding for the removal/resignation Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the party.
Refusal of Ayu to vacate his seat had informed the five Governors pulling out of the party’s presidential campaign team.
All peace meetings by the party’s leadership including the Board of Trustees, the National Working Committee and the aggrieved stakeholders had ended in deadlock, up till the time the campaign flag kicked off on Monday.
Present at the campaign flag-off included the party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar; his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, leading other party heavyweights and supporters including the NWC members.
It was gathered that they paid homage to the traditional institution in Akwa Ibom State headed by His Eminence, Nteyin Solomon Etuk, the Paramount Ruler of Nsit Ubium and Chairman of the State Council of Chiefs.
Other dignitaries present were former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, former Senate Presidents: Messrs. David Mark, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim and former PDP chairmen: Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, Alh. Adamu Muazu and Prince Uche Secondus.
Four of the six South-South Governors were also confirmed to be present, alongside Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state.
The five aggrieved Governors have maintained their stand of distancing themselves from the party’s presidential campaign if Ayu remains the Chairman.
The presidential candidate, Atiku, has on his part maintained that the removal of Ayu is possible only if the party’s structural provisions are observed, stating that Ayu’s resignation is a personal decision he has to make on his part.
The call for Ayu’s resignation was premised on the argument that he should not be holding the position since the party’s presidential candidate is also from the north.
The aggrieved Governors have maintained that a southerner should rather take over the party’s chairmanship for fair distribution.
Meanwhile, reactions against the stand of Wike’s camp emerged yesterday with criticisms.
On Monday, a coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of Better Life for Nigeria, blasted Wike’s camp for allegedly slowing down PDP’s activities.
The coalition in a statement by its Coordinator, Waheed Abduljeleel said, “The idea was to have a national party where decisions will be taken by all members, and not a party in the pocket of a single individual.
“Ayu said in his interview with Arise TV that he will resign if the party asked him to resign (not an individual). The NWC which is the highest decision body of the party passed a’vote of confidence on Ayu and asked him to stay.
“This situation that has a presidential candidate and Chairman of the party from one zone pre-election is not new. Ahmadu Ali from North Central was Chairman when Musa Yar’Adua from North West was the presidential candidate of PDP between 2006 and2007. What if Ayu resigns and Atiku fails to win, will he be given back his mandate to complete the constitutional four years?
“In any case, the PDP State Excos in Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross-River, and Delta have thrown their support for Ayu and passed a vote of confidence on him.
“The presidential zoning committee was about zoning the presidential ticket to South East with Peter Obi likely to get the ticket, Wike insisted that the zoning should be thrown open, knowing that GEJ got the South-South slot.
“Wike wants to foist a Chairman on the PDP that will work against Atiku so that Atiku will lose the 2023 election and leave the PDP for him and his group post-2023. They need a party Chairman that will do their bidding like what Adamu Mu’azu did to GEJ in 2015.
“Wike is not fighting for the South, he is a bitter loser fighting to destroy the PDP because he did not get the ticket of the party. His frustration after losing the presidential primary has made him confused, as throwing tantrums and dancing like a clown is now his trademark,” the group alleged.