By Uche Amunike
Fresh information concerning the meeting held by the River State Governor, Nyesom Wike and some members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has given a fresh insight to the reason for the rift between Atiku Abubakar, Wike and some party faithfuls.
Present at the meet are namely the Acting BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara; former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Relations, Taminu Turaki; Ex-Kogi State Governor, Ibrahim Idris and four others, Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
Indications are rife about the BoT, advising the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, to tender his resignation, since all pleas made to Wikeso far, has not yielded any results.
According to reliable sources, Wike wasted no time to state during the meeting, that the PDP flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar had pointedly reneged on his promises which he made to the five governors that were insisting on having the party chairman removed.
Wike, who, according to a former national officer of the PDP, spoke on behalf of the aggrieved governors, shocked the BoT members of the PDP after explaining all that happened, including how Atiku Abubakar disappointed the southern bloc of the PDP on numerous occasions with many false promises he made to them.
The PDP stalwart, who used to be a part of the Uche Secondus-led executive, told newsmen that the governor swore never to get involved with the PDP Campaign Council again until the national chairman tendered his resignation.
Before Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa was selected by Atiku Abubakar as running mate, Wike had reportedly nominated a former south-south governor to step in as Vice Presidential candidate. Atiku, however insisted on using Okowa as Vice President.
According to him: ‘Wike told them Atiku disappointed him. He said he didn’t bargain for vice president; it was Atiku who begged him. When he eventually agreed and he expected them to work something out, he came back to say he had picked Okowa.’
‘’But when Atiku chose Okowa, he didn’t come back to them (Wike and other governors) to say anything. And the speech he made when he was unveiling Okowa was very disappointing,’ the ex-PDP official quoted Wike to have said.
He stated further: ‘Wike also told them that Atiku came to London and assured him that Ayu would resign to balance things. He also complained about the gang-up and sharing of positions which they had already done. Ayo Fayose and Dan Orbih were present during the meeting.’
‘By the time he told them all that, they (BoT members) were speechless and they were convinced that Wike had been wronged. He told them how he took care of the party when all of them left and how he never abandoned the party for a day.’
‘After hearing all that transpired from Wike, they asked him the way forward. Wike replied that the only way forward was for Ayu to resign and that if Ayu does not resign, nobody should talk to him about PDP again. He vowed not to leave the party but at the same time he would not work for Atiku.’
Meanwhile a member of the BoT Reconciliation Committee, Shuaibu Oyedokun has stated to newsmen that the advisory body of the party will soon convene a meeting after having visited all aggrieved members and assured that after presenting their reports, the needful would be done for peace to reign.
