BY IKECHUKWU AGADA
Baring any last minute change of mind, the aggrieved governors; by extension Wike’s camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), may have finally taken a position on the Presidential candidate to support ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Extensive Investigations reveal that Wike, Makinde, Fayose, Arapaja, favour Tinubu while some PDP Governors, other party members like Ortom, Ugwuanyi, Ikpeazu, Bode George, Mimiko are rooting for Obi.
Hopes of resolution of the crisis rocking the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to have evaporated into the thin air as indications have emerged to suggest that aggrieved members have resolved to support other Presidential candidates apart from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is the flag bearer of the party. Atiku, was quoted to have said in a recent interview that the party had moved on from the aggrieved compatriots.
As at the time of filing this report, the ranks of the five governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and scores of other aggrieved chieftains of the party is said to have been broken into two.
While one of the two sharply divided camps have resolved to throw their weight behind the Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the other side is said to be favourably disposed to the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi.
A top PDP source who spoke on condition of anonymity to this reporter during the week confirmed the development, saying the camps of Tinubu and Obi have been mounting serious pressure on members of the PDP who are angry with the party.
“From the way things are now, I don’t think there appears to be any solution to the problems within our party (PDP). Many of these aggrieved governors and chieftains of the party are now more disposed to working for opposition parties.
“I can tell you for free that the camp of the aggrieved PDP members has been under undue pressure from foot soldiers of Tinubu and Peter Obi for support and they (APC and LP) emissaries seem to be making headway,” the source who pleaded not to named said.
When pressed further for details, the source named the governors elected on the platform of the party and the parties they might eventually work for at the poll.
According to him, Governor Wike is said to be leading the pack of those rooting for Tinubu and other chieftains of the party with him include, his counterpart in Oyo, Seyi Makinde, a former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
The source also listed the current Deputy National Chairman of the party (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja but added that the disposition of vice chairman of the party for South-South, Chief Dan Obih was still unknown.
“From the findings conducted by our party, I know that Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu and Samuel Ortom may eventually back Peter Obi for the Presidency,” the source thundered.
He mentioned the immediate Past Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, a former Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Olabode George as others allegedly supporting Obi.
When contacted for comments on the development, one of the campaign spokesmen of the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Mr. Daniel Bwala could not confirm or debunk the news saying he was out of the country. “I cannot confirm this news now because as I am speaking to you, I am in London but give me some time to reach our people in Nigeria and I promise to call you back when I find out the true situation of things,” he said.
An influential member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council who spoke in confidence in a telephone conversation confirmed the development, saying, “It is obvious that some PDP governors and members are working for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. “I don’t want to name them and it is not within my purview to do that but if you look closely you should be able to see.”
