Wike, Makinde, Others Withdraw From PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Insist Ayu Must Go

By Ayodele Oni

A major crack has hit the Presidential Campaign Committee of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) as some Governors announced their withdrawal from the committee.

Membership of the Campaign Committee was unveiled last Friday and contained names of serving Governors, political office holders past and present with Governor Emmanuel Edom as chairman of the 278 members.

The Governors who announced their withdrawal include Rivers, Nyesom Wike and Oyo,Seyi Makinde.

The camp of Governor Nyesom Wike in the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) made known its  official position on Wednesday after a marathon meeting hosted by Wike at his personal residence in Portharcourt.

The camp announced its withdrawal from participating in the presidential campaign of the party for the 2023 elections.

According to reports monitored on Channels Television, members of the group said none of them will participate in whatever capacity in the campaign council unless the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, resigns for a southern candidate.

Some members of the group were recently appointed as leaders and members of the campaign council for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Present at the gathering at Wike’s residence in Port Harcourt include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, Donald Duke of Cross River, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe and Jonah Jang of Plateau, former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke.

Others at the meeting are elder statesmen, Olabode George, Jerry Gana; South-South Chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche; Senator Suleiman Nazif, Nnenna Ukeje, among several others.

After over seven hours of private meeting from 7pm on Tuesday, September 20 to past 2am on Wednesday September 21, they gather to brief journalists on the outcome, with Chief Olabode George stating the shocker.

Former Governor Ayo Fayose, who was at the meeting had announced that he remains part of the group but would mobilize and vote for the Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and others during next year’s election.