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The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party appears far from over as the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar and the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu seeks to resolve the differences.
The likes of Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, and the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose have expressed their grievances following the emergence of Ifeanyi Okowa as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
The aggrieved members noted that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is the rightful person for the slot having gained the support of 14 out of 17 committee members put together to pick PDP’s vice-presidential candidate.
A source that spoke with Sun claimed that six governors elected on the platform of the party are against the presidential ambition of Atiku.
The source listed some of the governors who are unwilling to support Atiku as Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ishaku Darius of Taraba and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.
According to the source, the trouble started when Ayu failed to zone the party’s presidential ticket to the south.
The source said, “When it was obvious that Ayu wasn’t ready to listen and zone the presidential ticket to the South, governors and other leaders decided to leave the contest open. But they agreed to support a Southern aspirant, but people like Okowa, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and other people, especially from the South-South, started working to ensure that a Northern candidate emerged.”
He added that when Governor Wike lost the presidential ticket of the party, party leaders agreed that the Rivers State Governor should be picked as the vice-presidential candidate.
The source said the six governors met with Atiku and other leaders to pick Wike as a popular choice but were ignored by Ayu and Atiku.
He noted that the six governors who were not pleased with his decision of Atiku have decided not to play an active role during his presidential campaign of Atiku.
