The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is poised to kick start its presidential campaign next week without Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and others in his camp.
Wike and his loyalists had on Wednesday opted out of the 326-member PDP Presidential Campaign Council over the refusal of the National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu to resign his position.
In a terse message yesterday, one of the spokespersons of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Daniel Bwala, said the party had decided to place its destiny in the 2023 election in God’s hands and in the hands of the voters.
“Our election destiny is in the hands of God who gives power and the voters whom He uses. There is a reason for amended Electoral Act and the upsurge of voter registration.
“Power now is in their hands, make no mistakes,” he said.
“Accordingly, we must forge on with the task and the mandate that we have been bestowed with. It is time, therefore, to move on with the formidable tasks of nation building ahead of us”, Bwala wrote on his Facebook page.
Also, the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, reacted to Friday’s media attack on himself and others PDP chieftains by Governor Wike.
In a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate described the festering crisis in the party as “a conversation among leaders of the party.”
According to him, the development was a reflection of a living and engaging political party.
He said: “Whatever is happening in the PDP is a conversation among leaders of the party and that, in itself, is a reflection of the PDP, as a living and engaging political party.
“The conversation in the PDP is all about consensus building, which in itself is a major ingredient for peace and unity.
“The PDP, as a truly democratic party, understands that democracy is a lively concept because it allows for people to express their opinions and, it is within that understanding that everyone becomes part of the process.”
The statement added that Atiku had established credibility before the masses of the country, adding that he is one patriot who can be counted on to stand by the side of the people even when the times are hard.
”Atiku is a democrat to the core and that is evident in the way that he continues to carry on with the responsibility of ensuring that the PDP rescues Nigeria from the stranglehold of the APC in the next year’s general election.”
It was gathered yesterday that Atiku’s loyalists had succeeded in convincing the PDP candidate to go ahead with the campaign without Wike and his loyalists.
They were reported to have based their decision on the outcome of the July 16 Osun State governorship election which the PDP candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, won.
Wike and his loyalists, including some PDP governors, had opted out of the campaign, leaving the field to Atiku and his loyalists.
It was also gathered that the PDP leadership has continued to insist that there was very little time for the party to effect Ayu’s replacement without violating provisions of the PDP constitution.
The party chairman Ayu refused to comment on the allegation of receiving one billion Naira gratification made against him by Governor Wike.
Calls to the chairman’s Media Adviser, Simon Imobo-Tsam yesterday were not answered.