5 Governors, Others to Make 1 Powerful Demand Before Negotiating Atiku/Wike’s Unity
- Details have emerged that some PDP leaders, including 5 governors, would be demanding for the party's national chairman, Iyorcha Ayu's resignation
- The demand would be their major precondition to negotiating the unity of Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike and the party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar
- The leaders expressed concern over the affair of the party, including its national chair, BoT chairman and flagbearer, all headed by norther
FCT, Abuja - About 51 Peoples Democratic Leaders (PDP)’s leaders gathered on Sunday, July 31, to resolve the crisis in the largest opposition party in Nigeria.
Premium Times reported that the group insisted that the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, must step down from his position and allow another person from the south of Nigeria to take his place.
Source: Facebook
Wike hosts PDP leaders in Abuja
The Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike hosted the meeting at the governor’s lodge in Abuja.
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It was revealed that most of those in attendance supported the Rivers state governor prior to the presidential primary, in which the former vice president Atiku Abubakar won.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, a member of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Jerry Gana, said the group was meeting for the first time to review the primary and other developments in the PDP ahead of the 2023 elections.
PDP leaders to demand Ayu's resignation as national chairman
Gana said the group have taken some decisions but declined to tell journalists about them.
However, multiple insiders confirmed that the meeting deliberated extensively on the issue between Wike and Atiku over his choice of running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state.
Wike and Atiku have not been seen together since the latter announced his running mate. On Friday, July 29, the Rivers state governor accused Atiku of telling lies and using some leaders of the party as “attack dogs” against him.
Why Atiku's constitution of campaign organisation is delayed
Sources have confirmed that the crisis is delaying Atiku’s decision to form his campaign organisation.
The leaders said that Ayu’s resignation would be their precondition for meeting with Atiku if they had any role to play in the 2023 presidential election for the party.
The 51 leaders who attended the meeting included 5 governors and 7 former governors of the party.
Governors who attended closed-door meeting with Wike
The governors in attendance included Mr Wike (of Rivers), Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
Two other governors were said to have sent their regrets for not being able to attend.
The former governors who were present at the meeting were Donald Duke of Cross River, Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi, Jonah Jang of Plateau and Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe. A former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose, was also said to have been absent for health reasons.
Source: Legit.ng
