By Adesina Soyooye
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, says he has no reason to meet with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Ayu said this in reaction to a report which made the rounds that both men met in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. It was accomplished by a photograph.
Wike has been in a long-drawn “fight” with Ayu since after the PDP’s Presidential Primary where Atiku Abubakar beat Wike to a second place. The fight extended to Atiku when he skipped a very expectant Wike and picked his Delta State counterpart, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.
Wike and his loyalists who include four other PDP Governors, hold Ayu responsible for Wike’s loses.
Wike accuses Ayu of corrupting the system which threw up Atiku, and also holds of contributing to his loss of the Vice Presidential slot.
Wike and his Group, initially, known as G-5, but now Integrity Group, are asking for the resignation of Ayu as the National Chairman of the Party for a Southerner. Their reason, they posit, is that it is a breach of the PDP constitution for both the National Chairman and the Presidential Candidate to be from the same Region – North. Wike, also, points out that both Ayu and Atiku had pledged that Ayu would step down if the Candidate emerges from the North. While Ayu, allegedly, made the promise before the Primary, Wike said Atiku personally told him so, as well as offered him the Vice Presidential slot 24 hours after the Primary.
None was fulfilled and Wike and his group are angry. They have distanced themselves from PDP activities, including the Presidential Campaign. None of them is supporting Atiku’s Presidential aspiration. All efforts to reconcile both factions, within and outside the Party, have failed.
So, when the news broke on Wednesday that Ayu and Wike met and held a meeting in Port Harcourt, most PDP faithful were drunk with joy. They heaved a sigh of relief that, finally, peace was at hand.
But the report turned out to be fake. Ayu poured cold water on it.
In a statement signed on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Simon Imobo -Tswam, Ayu dismissed any such meeting with Wike. He said there was no reason for that. He said he never travelled to Port Harcourt. He said he is not embattled. And that he was enjoying a short break with his family.
The Statement issued on Wednesday reads:
Ayu Did Not Meet Wike In Port Harcourt Today
“The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, denies that he met the River’s State Governor, HE Nyesom Wike today in Port Harcourt, the River’s State Capital, or anywhere else in Nigeria today.
“Dr. Ayu states clearly that:
“1. He never travelled to Port Harcourt and,
“2. He has not set eyes on Gov. Wike lately.
“The photograph trending on the social media is an old one. The story accompanying it is, therefore, false and mischievous.
“He also adds, for the purpose of factual accuracy, that he is in no way embattled.
“The National Chairman is, rather, enjoying the New Year Break with his family.
“The general public and, especially the PDP Family, is advised to ignore the story and focus on the historic task ahead of the party next month.”
The Presidential election is scheduled for February 25, 2023.
