PDP Governors Who May Pull Out of Wike’s Camp if Party’s Crisis Is Not Resolved

• Nigeria's lead opposition party, the PDP, is battling a protracted internal crisis ahead of the 2023 general election
• The crisis which started after the PDP presidential primary has sharply divided the party into two camps: Atiku and Wike camps
• As the crisis lingers, this piece forecasts that the Wike camp may lose some key allies due to the need to pursue their personal political interests

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been engulfed in an internal crisis since the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.

The opposition party is sharply divided into two camps: The Atiku and the Wike camps.

After losing the PDP presidential and vice-presidential tickets, Wike and those who are sympathetic to him started demanding the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, as a precondition to back Atiku.

Read also

2023 presidency: PDP BoT to settle with Wike, others? Okowa gives update on party's crisis

Their argument is that since Atiku is from the north, the party’s national chairmanship seat should be occupied by a southerner.

However, the crisis lingers as Senator Ayu refused to yield to the Wike camp’s demand. The development made Governor Wike and his team pull out of Atiku’s campaign.

With the campaigns for the 2023 elections officially on, at least two governors in Wike’s camp may pull out if the crisis remains unresolved in the next few weeks.

The governors are Samuel Ortom of Benue state and Seyi Makinde of Oyo state.

Ortom and the Ayu factor

The major demand from Wike’s camp is Ayu’s resignation. However, it’s difficult for Governor Ortom to join Wike to make such a demand because both he and Ayu and from the same state: Benue.

Read also

2023 election: Ihedioha reveals 1 key thing PDP must do to win southeast states

That’s why he came out recently to dissociate himself from plots to remove Ayu as the PDP national chairman.

Going against Ayu may also hurt Governor Ortom’s political future especially as he is contesting for Benue North West senatorial seat in the 2023 general election.

Governor Makinde and his re-election bid

Among the serving governors in Wike’s camp, Makinde is the only first-term governor who is seeking re-election in 2023.

Joining forces with Wike against the national leadership of the PDP is a risky move for a governor who is seeking a second term bid.

Thus, if the crisis remains unresolved in the next few weeks, Governor Makinde may pull out of the camp to concentrate on his re-election.

The fact that three states from the southwest are behind Ayu is another reason why Governor Makinde may pull out of the camp.

PDP crisis: Governor Wike, Atiku hold fresh meeting in Abuja, details emerge

Read also

Southeast political warlord drops bombshell, says PDP BoT chairman is “a BONE thrown to my people”

Meanwhile, Governor Wike and Atiku were said to have held a fresh meeting on Thursday, September 29.

The meeting, according to a PDP chieftain who spoke exclusively with Daily Trust, is said to be part of efforts to forge unity in the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

It was gathered that during the closed-door meeting in Asokoro Rivers Governor's lodge in Abuja, Atiku appealed to Wike to end the ongoing crisis, adding that the PDP is in desperate need of unity to ensure its victory in 2023.

Source: Legit.ng