Ayade Threatens To Quit PDP; Three Other Governors Could Follow; ”I Can Threaten PDP – Wike” |The Source

By Gideon Njoku

If there is any State the Senator Bukola Saraki PDP- Reconciliation Committee should urgently head to, it is Cross River State. The party is about to lose the State to the APC. If that happens the ruling party at the centre will have a footing in the South-south. The APC lost its footing in the South -south with the defection of Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki to the PDP when he was frustrated out of the party by former National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Until Obaseki’s defection, Edo State was the only APC State in the zone. That could change soon for the better, unless the PDP reads the handwriting on the wall, and acts fast to appease the Governor, Prof Ben Ayade.

The rumour of the planned  defection of  Ayade has been strong and thick. Ayade had been keeping his plans close to his chest, and playing safe.

One of the ways he plays safe is never to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari. It was the same game Ebonyi State’s Dave Umahi was playing until he, finally, decamped to the APC from the PDP.

But Ayade seems to be getting tired of the hide and seek game. He is coming out of the closet. On a visit to him on Friday in Calabar by the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, Ayade more than hinted PDP could soon become history with him.

Ayade told Mohammed that he was tired of the shenanigans going on in the PDP. He said he was tired of the party. He said he was tired of external forces trying to influence affairs in his state. “Enough is enough”, he told Mohammed. And then, his confession: “I am sitting on

the fence.” Meaning he has become indifferent to the party.

Ayade has been having a running battle with some people in the State PDP. He blames it on external forces. The external force, an aide of the  Governor told this magazine,  is another Governor in his zone who the source said is trying to influence what goes on in the state. And it is over who succeeds Ayade in 2023. He wants to force a successor on Ayade.

Ayade said he had always taken it easy, like a gentleman, but that his gentleness has been taken as a sign of weakness.

It is not known why exactly Bala Mohammed visited Ayade, but it offered Ayade the opportunity to talk, to open up. Incidentally, Ayade was talking to a man who is, also strongly being suspected to be planning an exit from the PDP to the APC;  a soul-mate when it comes to their seeming lukewarm attitude towards the PDP now. Both of them are sitting on the fence.

Ayade to Mohammed during the visit, in a loaded speech that has been titled:

TIME HAS COME WHEN ALL OF US WILL GATHER AND SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

“I have always played politics with ethics, but in the course of time I have come to realise that ethical politics is mistaken for weakness.”

“Time has come when we will put our foot down and take a decision on the bases of which will prosper my people’s collective well-being.

“For their trust in me, they have put their own future in my hands.

“I cannot blind myself to the challenges of PDP and decide not to know what to do at the right time for their sake.

“I know you are somebody that don’t take injustice. One single injustice they will see a new Cross River State.”

“One single injustice and I say it as a warning, because it does appear that your party seems to celebrate people who threaten and stress them.”

“All councilors PDP, all chairmen PDP, all House of Assembly members PDP, all Commissioners PDP, all the National Assembly except one, PDP. All of them under my leadership into the elections. So it is not now someone will discuss what structure and strategy I need.

“But I am happy you have created an opportunity for a melodrama. So today I am seated and dancing on the fence. Indeed that’s true.

“And so I speak with righteous anger for the continuous annoyance and nuisance orchestrated on our innocent by external factors.

“But I just hope this ends today.

“And so, please, as I leave you with some holy whispers, which will be very strong, firm and clear, it’s a harbinger of trouble.

“While I believe in ecclesiatics of peace, I believe in the catechism of good faith but I also believe in the respect for the supremacy of an office.”

Ayade is not alone in his anger.

PDP Could Lose Four Governors To APC

A source familiar with the goings-on in the PDP told this magazine that the PDP, aside from Ayade, could lose three other Governors to the APC. The source told this magazine: “If my sources are right, except a miracle happens, PDP is set to lose Cross River, Bauchi, Zamfara and Enugu.”

In the case of Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed, our source said: “Clearly, Bala didn’t mince words yesterday (Friday). He declared that an injustice to Ayade is an injustice to him and that if Ayade crosses over, he too will cross.”

For the records, Mohammed  does not need a push from Ayade to move. Recall that a few weeks ago, he had a spat with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, over the activities of AK47 rifle-carrying herdsmen. In defending the herdsmen, he held a different opinion from  his party, the PDP, which vehemently condemns the rifle-carrying herdsmen.

Incidentally, it was Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who intervened and settled the rift between both Governors.

This other day, the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, let it be known that Bauchi’s Mohammed will soon join the  APC.

As for Zamfara, Governor Bello Matawalle, months ago, openly threatened he would leave the party over the alleged brash attitude of an unnamed Governor who he described as arrogant, and wanting to lord it over others.

The surprise among the lot is Enugu State’s Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Even though he was alleged to have been sympathetic towards President Buhari during the 2019 Presidential election, his sympathy did not amount to much.

However, the Governors allegedly threatening to dump the party complain of the same problem – the alleged unbearable attitude of one of their colleagues who they say thinks his word is law. “They say they are tired of the Governor’s braggadocio and overbearing influence in the party.”

Wike Warns PDP Not To Toy With Rivers State

In another development that should worry the PDP, Wike sent a strong warning to the Party not to toy with Rivers State. He said doing that will be costly to the PDP. It is not the first time the usually blunt Governor will issue such a threat. Just after the PDP Presidential primary in 2019, he did the same thing.

This Saturday, he spoke at the flag off of the Campaign for Local Government Elections in the State.

Incidentally, the National Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, a son of the State, was conspicuously absent at the ceremony.

It is not, immediately, known why Wike issued the threat to the PDP, but he said  there will be serious consequences if the PDP tried to short- change the state in anyway.

“I can threaten the PDP”, he declared. He continued:

“Rivers State is not a State you can toy with. Not even within the PDP. We have votes to give, so I won’t  allow anybody take us for granted. I can threaten PDP.

“Even Nigeria knows that Rivers State is not an ordinary State. Rivers State stands tall to say that if PDP is to win an election in Nigeria, it has to be with the performance of Rivers State.

“PDP cannot hang up against Rivers State because they will not recover from it. The Federal Government took us for granted, but they are yet to recover from it.”

PDP’s main rival in the State,  APC, has withdrawn from the LGA election. In response, Wike said the APC withdrew to avoid another disgraceful beating at the polls. Meaning: The election will be a clean sweep for the PDP.