By Stanley Ekpenyong, Calabar
With Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in firm control of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, structures in Cross River State, all is evidently not looking well for the party’s candidate for next year’s Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, in the state.
Apparently careful not to displease Wike, Cross River PDP candidates for next year’s elections are distancing themselves from Atiku.
Wike, this Magazine learnt, was instrumental to the emergence of the candidates, including the Gubernatorial flag bearer, Professor( Senator) Sandy Onor.
Senator Onor and Wike were Local Government Chairmen at the same time and played prominent roles in the politics of the Association Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON. While the Rivers State Governor was the National Chairman of the body, Onor was the Secretary.
The gravity of the cold shoulders towards Atiku by Sandy/Wike faction of the PDP in Cross River is conspicuously noticed in various PDP offices and campaign offices in the state, especially Calabar, the State capital.
For example, while the posters and billboards of Bola Tinubu, the APC Presidential candidate adorn the party’s secretariat alongside those of other candidates of the party, the PDP secretariat situated at the popular Mary Slessor Avenue is bereft of Atiku’s posters or billboards.
Rather, boldly displayed in and around the party headquarters are Senator Onor’s campaign posters.
Similarly, while APC candidates for various offices boldly identify with Tinubu by including his picture in their posters, their PDP counterparts are not doing that for Atiku.
A PDP/ Atiku supporter, Joseph Frank, condemning the shabby treatment Atiku is receiving from the Wike/Onor-led Cross River PDP demanded, in a social media post: “Put ATIKU Abubakar’s banner in the Party secretariat!!!!
“Enough is enough
“Cross river PDP is not answerable to Wike,
“Enough of this show of shame and embarrassment.
“The leaders of the party should stop embarrassing CRS PDP.
Put ATIKU ABUBAKAR’S campaign banner in the secretariat”
The unsettling polarisation of the PDP in Cross River has the State’s two former PDP Governors in different camps.
While former governor Donald Duke is a staunch member of the Wike camp, his successor, Senator Liyel Imoke is rooting for Atiku.
With the rancorous State of the party in Cross River, political pundits say it will be a miracle if PDP makes any impact in the State in next year’s elections.
