By Charles Igbo
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has clarified why he is fighting the Party hierarchy of his Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Until his clarification, the impression had been that he is throwing tantrums over his loss of the Presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, followed by his loss of the Vice Presidential ticket to Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
Wike’s anger with the Party became public when he lost the Vice Presidential ticket to Okowa.
But speaking on Thursday after the 97th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the Party, during which the Party’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Walid Jibrin resigned and made way for former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, Wike said he had forgotten his losses. He said he does not care about the tickets. He said in a contest, one person must win. He said he is fighting for justice and equity in the PDP. He said he is fighting for the strengthening of the Party, and the South which has been short-changed by the PDP, given the present arrangement. He said there is no way both the Presidential candidate of the Party and its Chairman would come from the same Zone. He said since the Candidate is from the North, the Chairman should come from the South.
He said that was the agreement before the Primaries. He said the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu said, at least, on three different occasions that he would step down if a Northerner is the Presidential candidate.
Wike, also, recalled that even the candidate, Atiku said the same thing to him, Wike, a day after the Primaries when he visited him to solicit for his support that “Ayu must step down.” He dared Atiku to deny.
Wike said he is only asking them to fulfil their promise and the agreement reached, and insisted: “Agreement is agreement.” His fear: When important decisions are being taken, there will be nobody from the South since, according to him, decisions will be between the candidate and the Chairman.
Wike: “Some of you don’t know what is happening. You are being deceived; they are telling you Wike is causing problem. But Wike is bringing peace to the country. Wike is advocating for justice. Wike is advocating for equity. Wike is advocating for fairness.
“We have finished with Presidential Primary. It is over and it is over. So when people say ‘You want to destroy the Party because you didn’t win Primary’, they are sick. They have some mental problem.”
But Political analysts have faulted Wike. They point out that between 2008 and 2010 both the PDP National Chairman and the President, came from same Zone. The Chairmen then were Vincent Ogbulafor and Okwesilieze Nwodo when Olusegun Obasanjo was President. There was also Col Ahmadu Ali (rtd) when Umaru Yar’Adua was President.
Noted a PDP Chieftain: It is not about Ayu. Wike knows what he is playing at, and looking for, otherwise he should have waited till after the 2023 Presidential election. When Atiku wins, Ayu will step down. Wike’s priority now should be how his Party will win. Nothing more.”
At PDP NEC meeting on Thursday, a vote of confidence was passed in Ayu. But Wike has vowed to keep fighting.
