The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, may have come under pressure to sacrifice the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to quit office in order to pacify the PDP leaders in the south who, on Wednesday, threatened not participate in the party’s presidential campaign until Ayu resigns.
Ayu had proceeded on vacation overseas and may not be back till tow weeks. Ayu handed over the power of the party to the Deputy Chairman, north, Iliya Damagun, before his departure. This led to speculations that the chairman had been suspended, which was refuted by Ayu’s media aide, Simon Imobo-Tswam.
Few days later, Atiku also left the shores of Nigeria on business trip.
There are insinuations that the Atiku may be holding meeting with Ayu while on the trip overseas. Some party members were said to be considering that Ayu may not return as the PDP national chairman again, noting that Atiku may negotiate with him to step, and probably be assigned another portfolio in the campaign structure, so as to restore stability in the party.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, at a meeting with his political associates at his personal resident in Port Harcourt, from 7.00pm on Tuesday to about 2.00am Wednesday morning, resolved that they will not participate in the PDP presidential campaign for the 2023 elections until Ayu resigns.
Participants at the meeting include Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Chief Bode George, former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, Donald Duke of Cross River State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State and Jonah Jang of Plateau State, former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, elder statesman, Jerry Gana; PDP vice chairman, South-South, Dan Orbih; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche; Senator Suleiman Nazif, Nnenna Ukeje, among others.