Adetokunbo Pearse, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has shaded Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, saying he cannot decide for the party.
The PDP chieftain spoke on the protracted crisis in the party caused by the demand of Governor Wike on the National Chairman of the party, Iyorcha Ayu to resign.
The party’s National Executive Council, NEC had recently passed a vote of confidence on the embattled chairman.
The governor has however insisted that he will not support the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar until Ayu steps down.
The crisis became more pronounced last week after some governors in the party shunned the official kick-off of its presidential campaign.
At least, four PDP governors are behind the Rivers governor in his quest to see Ayu forced out of office. The governors are Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuainyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).
There are equally other members of the party’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Council, NEC supporting Wike in his resolve for Ayu to quit his position, the magazine has learned.
Speaking on the issue, Pearse said the majority of the members of the party are solidly behind Ayu. He said Wike cannot foist his decision on the party, adding that the National Chairman would only leave office when the party’s leadership ask him to do so.
He said the party has moved on regardless of the opposition constituted by Wike and his team.
According to him, Governor Wike and others have the right to express their opinions as a member of the party “but they are not the party, for instance, a governor is not the party in his state.
“The PDP is solidly behind Dr Ayu staying on as the National Chairman of the party because he said when he got elected if a northerner emerges as the presidential candidate of the party he will step down if the party says he should step down.
“He said it, but it is conditional and guess what, who is the party? the party is the National Executive Council of the party, and they met about 2 or 3 weeks ago and decided that Ayu should stay on.
“No governor, no individual gets to decide for the party it is democracy. In a democratic setting, the constitution says that the NEC decides on the issues they have voted on.
“By the way all these people, these governors they are all members of that committee so why don’t they go there and give us their opinion what happens is if they go there, the majority will vote against their decision that is what has happened.
“Democratically we are onboard and the party is moving on. while we try to resolve the issues with some people, a few who are not with the party.
Meanwhile, the meeting between Governor Wike and PDP BoT members on Tuesday ended in a deadlock, as the party’s Advisory organ led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara failed to make the governor change his position.
Sources who attended the meeting told the Magazine that, Governor Wike who had earlier met with Atiku told the BoT members plainly that his only problem is Ayu. Once the National Chairman steps down, he said, everything will go on smoothly.
