2023 Presidency: PDP Lost the Moment it Gave Its Ticket to Another Northerner, Youth Advocate Says
- Governor Wike's camp’s decision to opt out of Atiku’s campaign was right, Ogoegbunam Kingdom, a youth and women development advocate has said
- The executive director of the Platform for Youth and Women Development said the PDP lost the 2023 presidential election the moment it gave its ticket to a northerner
- Kingdom added that the refusal of Ayu to resign has heavily heightened tensions and damaged the party’s chances in 2023
FCT, Abuja - Ogoegbunam Kingdom, a youth and women development advocate, says the decision of Governor Nyesom Wike and his allies to pull out Atiku Abubakar’s campaign is properly justified because the south feels shortchanged in the opposition PDP.
The camp of Governor Wike recently withdrew from the Atiku campaign, insisting the decision will not be rescinded until the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, resigns.
Source: Facebook
Since Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate is from the north, Governor Wike and his allies said Ayu who is also a northerner must resign for a southerner to take over.
Speaking to Legit.ng on the development, Kingdom who is the executive director of the Platform for Youth and Women Development said:
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
“The decision by the Wike’s camp not to support the Presidential bid of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2023 is properly justified because the South feels shortchanged in the PDP.
“The National Chairman Sen. Iyorchia Ayu mentioned repeatedly that once a Northerner emerged as the candidate of the party he will resign, but that has not been effected.”
PDP should not have presented northern presidential candidate - Kingdom
Speaking further, Kingdom said the PDP should not have given its ticket to Atiku, a northerner, since President Muhammadu Buhari, another northerner is almost completing eight years in the presidency, albeit on the APC platform.
His words:
“What Nigerians must understand is that it is not about Governor Wike but about inclusivity and proper assurance to ensure fairness and balance in the party as the majority of stakeholders in the party are not well fitted with the fact that a northerner is flying its ticket violating its constitution on rotation.
“Secondly, Permit me to borrow the words of the Afenifere socio-cultural group leader Pa Adebanjo who made a comment on the 2023 elections “As for 2023, the North had no business to come back after a Northerner has finished for 8 years”.
“So for me, the PDP lost the election the moment it took its ticket to the North because in Nigeria there’s an agreement on power rotation between the North and the South, it is conventional for the unity of the country and even the PDP has it in its own constitution, so the PDP has lesser chances of winning the election in 2023 and that is the truth, in addition, the refusal of Ayu to resign heavily heightened tensions and damaged the party’s chances in 2023.”
Wike camp to endorse Peter Obi or Tinubu?
Asked if the Wike camp will work for Tinubu or Peter Obi after pulling out of Atiku’s campaign, Kingdom said:
“Concerning the Wike’s camp endorsing an Obi or Tinubu Presidency, it cannot be predicted because they have to analyze the strength and chances of Obi or Tinubu winning the election, who has the structure to win an election, who has equity and the support of the leaders from the South, who amongst the two has the overall support of Nigerians and finally who is seen as more competent to fix the problems of the country.
“These issues must be considered thoroughly before endorsing any of the candidates so as not to jeopardize the chances of producing a President of Southern extraction.”
Governor Wike dares PDP, asks party to suspend him
In another report, Governor Wike has dared the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to suspend him if they so desire and be ready for the consequences.
He said this during a live media chat in Port Harcourt, saying the party knows what he was capable of if they take such a decision.
The governor was reacting to a question following the retinue of visitors from other political parties that have visited him in the midst of the crisis in the party and if it does not amount to anti-party activities.
Source: Legit.ng
