Ayu Bows, Pleads With Wike To Come Back; NWC Members To Visit Governor Early Next Week

By Gideon Njoku

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has extended an olive branch to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

He has also disclosed that members of the Party’s National Working  Committee, NWC, will, early next week, storm Porthacourt, Rivers State, on a visit to Governor Wike in order to perfect full reconciliation in the Party.

The PDP has effectively been divided into two camps. The majority in support of the Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the other, a powerful group loyal to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

The crisis started after Atiku  emerged as the Presidential candidate of the Party, beating Wike to a respectable second place. It worsened when Atiku chose Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate over Wike.

Since then, nothing has been  the same in the Party. Wike has been openly romancing the Presidential candidates of other Parties, and giving the PDP a wide berth. He has, also,  spared no opportunity in attacking Atiku, the Party leadership and any Party stakeholder sympathetic to Atiku. He has also insisted that Ayu must vacate his seat for a Southerner since Atiku is from the North.

While most people thought that Wike was throwing tantrums because he lost to both Atiku and Okowa, he said on Thursday, September 8, that nothing could be further from the truth. He said he has forgotten about his losses, since in every contest a winner must emerge.

He disclosed that his anger stems from the lack of integrity and honour displayed by Atiku and Ayu.

Both men, he said, had assured and reassured that if a Northerner emerged as the Presidential candidate, Ayu would step down, as the Chairman, for a Southerner. Since after the Convention, Wike lamented, both men have reneged on the promise with Ayu insisting he was elected for a four year tenure, and Atiku saying Ayu would step down when he, Atiku, wins the Presidential election.

Since then, the Parties have been throwing stones at each other, making very uncomplmentary remarks about each other, and revealing things the public shouldn’t know about the goings-on in the Party. While Ayu called Wike and members of his Camp children, Wike reminded Ayu that he was not only impeached as a Senate President, but sacked, two times, as a Federal Minister. He said it is those he is calling children now that picked him from the gutter, and made him National Chairman.

Just so the bad situation sinks, Wike let it be known that Rivers State vote is no longer for free. It  will go to the highest bidder. Rivers State must know what is in it for them before voting.

But on Friday, Ayu called for a truce. He extended an olive branch to Wike and other aggrieved persons. He pleaded with Wike to come back to the Party fully. And to put a bite to his pleading, he revealed that NWC members will visit the Governor early next week in Porthacourt. He also said other aggrieved stakeholders will be visited for full reconciliation.

Ayu revealed these steps when he led members of the NWC on a condolence visit to the Party’s newly appointed Ag. Chairman, Board of Trustees, BOT, Senator Adolphus Wabara who recently lost his wife.

Wabara, a former Senate President, stepped in as BOT Chairman when Senator Walid Jibrin resigned from the position on Thursday during the 97th PDP NEC meeting in Abuja. His resignation is a consequence of the crisis rocking the Party.

In a statement after the visit to Wabara, Simon Imobo-Tswam, Special Adviser, Media and Communication  to the National Chairman, quoted him as saying to Wabara:

“You have the full support of myself, the candidate, and the whole NWC to reach out to Governor Wike, all the Governors and any person who is aggrieved, and appeal to them, plead with them, to come back and let’s work together in the PDP family.

“As the new BoT Chairman, with diplomatic experience, we implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support, including that of the Presidential candidate and Vice Presidential candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here.”

Ayu  described the new Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Wabara, as an elder statesman of immense preparation, saying the party needs his diplomatic skills at this material time.

He, therefore, implored Wabara to use his diplomatic experience by reaching all aggrieved party members, with a view to presenting a united front against the ruling APC, Come 2023.

The visit to Wike, Ayu said,  because of other pre-planned engagements he has, will be  led by  the Deputy Chairman (North), Amb. Iliya Damagun.

The National Chairman also used the opportunity of the condolence visit to thank Wabara for the Vote of Confidence passed on the party’s leadership by both the BoT and the National Executive Council (NEC), which met yesterday and affirmed the party’s unity among other things.

His words: “The confidence reposed in the NWC is an encouragement that the party should unite and be one strong family.

“To read the outcome of yesterday’s (Thursday) meeting as one group being victorious over another will be erroneous. We are all winners.

“My understanding is that the party wants unity.  Thankfully you can play the role of a unifier even better with your immense preparation as a diplomat, former Member House Of Representatives, former senator and ex-Senate President who had worked with this party for a long period of time.”

Further speaking, Ayu said: “I am calling on you to lead the effort in reaching out to all our aggrieved members.

“You have the full support of myself, the candidate and the whole NWC to reach out to Governor Wike, all the governors and any person who is aggrieved, and appeal to them, plead with them to come back and let’s work together in the PDP family.

“If we do not win next year’s general election, Nigerians will be very very disappointed, the hope of Nigeria is on us.

“As the new BoT Chairman with diplomatic experience. We implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support including that of the Presidential candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here.”

He added: “You have our support. The entire BoT should select and reach out to them. We are appealing that they should come back and let us work together.

“I want to also reveal to you that the NWC under the leadership of the Deputy National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagun, will be going to see not only Gov. Wike but every other person who is aggrieved. It is the unanimous decision of the NWC and we think that your leading the fight for peace and full reconciliation in the party will be helpful.

“There is a time for anger and there’s a time for the anger to stop. So help us to reach out to all aggrieved members try and heal the party with your new role as the party Chairman of the BoT.”

Responding, the acting BoT Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara,  thanked the National Chairman and other members of the NWC, saying he was overwhelmed with the show of goodwill, support and sympathy.

His words: “I appreciate you all. We will work together to ensure the party wins in 2023.”

Members of the NWC, who accompanied the national chairman included: the National Secretary, the National Treasurer, the National Auditor, the National Publicity Secretary, and the National Woman Leader.

It is to be seen if Wike will cave in, as he has insisted that only the resignation of Ayu as National Chairman, and the appointment of a Southerner in his place, will solve the problem.