PDP Crisis: BoT Set To Meet As Wike’s Camp Demands Ayu’s Removal

The crisis rocking the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has taken another dimension as the Board of Trustees (BoT) is scheduled to meet Wednesday August 3, 2022 to reconcile aggrieved party members.

Since the party’s presidential primaries where former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, emerged as the PDP 2023 presidential candidate, some members who are not happy with the process and outcome have stayed off party affairs.

Contributing to the internal rancour was Atiku’s choice of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate over Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who was reportedly favoured by the committee saddled with that responsibility.

Reacting to the issues, the PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibril, in a statement Monday disclosed that the organ of the party will meet on Wednesday in Abuja to find a lasting solution to the rancour.

Senator Jibril said he noticed with great concern that the emergence of Atiku and Okowa as candidates and running mate respectively was unnecessarily causing confusion among some members of the party.

The PDP BoT promised that all issues will be resolved soon.

He said, “I want to assure everyone that all plans are on the ground to bring all members together as one and united.

Senator Jibril added that what is happening in PDP can never be compared with the situation in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He commended the efforts of party stakeholders in resolving the crisis.

He continued, “the group aims to reconcile aggrieved members, especially Wike.

“Interestingly, the BoT is the highest advisory and the conscience of the party is meeting on Wednesday, 3rd August to discuss the issues accordingly by coming up with strong recommendations with the special committee for the special reconciliation of aggrieved members.

“After the BoT meeting we will meet with and Wike and all aggrieved members and all past Presidential aspirants.”

Meanwhile, sources in Governor Wike’s camp made it known to Blueprint that part of their demand is the removal of PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

Wike had on Sunday in Abuja met with four governors and other members of the Presidential campaign coordinators.

Those at the meeting include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state and Governor of Enugu state Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Others were former governor of Cross River state Donald Duke, former governor of Benue state Gabriel Suswam, former Ondo state governor Olusegun Mimiko, former Bayelsa state governor Seriake Dickson, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi state and former Plateau state governor Jonah Jang.

Others include former PDP Deputy National Vice Chairman North, Senator Suleiman Nazif, former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke, and member of the House of Representatives from Kogi State, Tajudeen Yusuf, among others.

The source said, “We met, reviewed all issues that happened during and after the party primaries, we also resolved that we will not leave the party.

“But if the party and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar our support we have come up with our demands. Which include the removal of Ayu, inclusion in the strategic position of the Presidential campaign council and power-sharing arrangement.”