Atiku concedes to Makinde, Wike’s demand for Ayu’s resignation but…

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, at a meeting with PSP stakeholders in Ibadan, Oyo State, subtly conceded to the demand of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, reechoed at the Ibadan meeting by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, however, on the condition that the party constitution is adhered to in the process.

Atiku, leading PDP leaders to the interactive session with southwest PDP stakeholders in Ibadan on Wednesday, emphasized that the demand for the recomposition of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) is not impossible, but would require amendment of the constitution to accommodate such demand.

Atiku had highlighted: “the Peoples Democratic Party is the oldest political party in Nigeria since the return of democracy and even before then. It is a party that has laid down rules and regulations.

“I have been a member of the party since when it was formed and I am still a member of the party up to the point of what it has grown to become.”

Atiku maintained: “there is nothing any individual can do to change the outlook of the National Working Committee of the PDP.

“The PDP is a party where there are laid down rules and regulations. What Governor Makinde is asking for is possible only when we have amended our party’s constitution.

“As things stand today, no single individual has the power to tamper with the NWC of the party. Doing so will be illegal and it will be against our rules in the party.

“Nigerians will not trust us to govern by the tenets of rule of law if we take such arbitrary action against our own party.”

The Southwest stakeholders’ interactive session was attended by leaders of the PDP across the six states of the geopolitical zone with a common resolution to ensure victory for the PDP in the 2023 general elections. The PDP leaders who attended the interactive session included Governor Seyi Makinde, PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Chief Ladi Adebutu; former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; Osun State Governor-elect, Senator Demola Adeleke; PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Olajide Adediran, and deputy governorship candidate in Lagos State, Funke Akindele; including the vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State; former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke; PDP Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum; and PDP National Deputy Chairman (South); Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, among other stakeholders from the Southwest.