VP Ticket: Ayu’s Fate Hanging As Crisis Over Okowa’s Emergence Deepens

• Earlier, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state emerged as Atiku Abubakar's running mate, ahead of the 2023 elections
• The announcement came 24 hours after the Advisory Committee tasked with the responsibility of coming up with Atiku’s running mate voted in favour of Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike
• This development has however fuelled crisis among major stakeholders of the opposition party as on Wednesday, 11 out of the 13 governors of the PDP, shunned the inauguration of the Osun state’s 128- member National Campaign Council

The resentment generated by the emergence of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to fester.

The development has degenerated into a full-blown disagreement among party leaders with some calling for the ouster of the national chairman of the party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

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Osun 2022: List of PDP governors absent as opposition party inaugurates campaign council

According to a report by Daily Trust, it was those after Ayu’s job that were behind the speculation that the Benue-born politician has already been sent packing.

The plot to send Ayu packing deepens

But in a swift reaction, Ayu through his special adviser, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said he is still in charge.

He said the report that the Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Umar Damagum, has been appointed in Ayu’s place in acting capacity was “mischievous’’.

Tswam said:

“Dr Ayu took a well-deserved, two-week leave on 21st June 2022. He will be back next week to resume duties, specifically on July 6, 2022.

“The general public is, therefore, advised to ignore the mischievous social media publications as they are purely the work of mischief-makers and idle minds.”

However, indication emerged that all was not well in the party which led to only two out of the 13 governors of the party being present when the National Working Committee (NWC) inaugurated the Osun governorship campaign council on Wednesday.

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The two are Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba).

A 128-member council was named for the governorship election of the state. Ten governors who are members of the party are on the committee.

Ortom reacts

As a further sign that all is not well with the main opposition party, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, while speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday, also said he was among the 17-member committee set up by Atiku Abubakar to recommend a running mate for him.

He said:

“Fourteen of us in the committee said the person should be Nyesom Wike unfortunately Atiku picked Okowa in his wisdom.”

Ortom, who is also from Benue State, stressed that the presidential candidate was not doing enough to bring the party together.

Governor Wike will not support Atiku, Fayose says, gives reason

Legit.ng reported earlier that Former Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, says he believes Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, will never support the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

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It was reported that Fayose said this in an interview on Wednesday, June 29, adding that power must shift to the southern part of Nigeria in 2023 after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.

The former governor also recounted how Atiku allegedly promised to make Governor Wike his running mate after he was declared winner of the PDP presidential primary election.

Osun 2022: PDP in trouble as party chairman, Adeleke's ex-running mate, 10,000 other members defect to APC

No fewer than 10,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reportedly defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state on Monday, June 27.

It was reported that the defection took place at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, the state capital.

Legit.ng gathers that Hon Wale Ojo, factional state chairman of PDP, and Hon Albert Adeogun, running mate to the PDP candidate in the 2018 governorship election in Osun, were among those who dumped the PDP for the APC.

Source: Legit.ng