How Wike Frustrated Peter Obi Out Of PDP

By Adesina Soyooye

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dele Momodu, has disclosed that its Presidential Candidate in the 2024 General Elections, Atiku Abubakar was not going to run for the Presidential seat but for Nyesom Wike, Minister of the FCT.

Momodu spoke on Wednesday while reacting to the loss of Delta State to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Governor of the State, Sheriff Oborevwori alongside his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the whole PDP structure in the State.

Speaking on Arise Television, Momodu recalled the circumstances under which Okowa became the Vice Presidential Candidate and under which Atiku finally contested.

He held Wike responsible, especially, for the defection of Peter Obi from the PDP to the Labour Party.

According to Momodu, Atiku was ready to forgo his Presidential ambition if the seat would be zoned to the South-east. However, Momodu disclosed, Wike, having counted himself out of the South-east, insisting he is not Igbo, and with his eyes set on contesting for the seat, worked against the South-east taking the slot.

Therefore, when the PDP set-up a Committee to decide which Zone gets the ticket, Wike influenced them to throw the ticket open. That was the only way he could run, and that was what the Committee did; and that was why Atiku decided to run. It was when Obi saw the hand writing on the wall, and realizing he was the target that he decided to leave the PDP for the LP. He was frustrated out by Wike

Momodu: “It was the same Wike people complaining about North-South that brought the Committee to throw our Party Primary open. That’s why I was able to buy a form because at that time, Atiku had told them that if they ceded power to the South-east, then it would make sense to him, but if it would still be a rotation between just a few zones, he would not support  it. He wanted them to cede power to the South-east. But because Wike had already disqualified himself by saying he’s not Igbo, he said he’s from the South-south, he’s not interested in  Igbo anything. So, he succeeded in frustrating Peter Obi out of the Party. So the coast was clear for Nyesom Wike.”