The campaign by a group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to have Dr Iyorchia Ayu removed as national chairman might have suffered another blow.
Following the vociferous agitation against Ayu by the group led by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, the PDP National Working Committee last month passed a vote-of-confidence on the embattled national chairman, while several leaders defended the action.
The reconciliation committee set up by the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) is the latest voice on the dispute, advising against removing Ayu at this time.
The committee, which had “frank” engagements with all the sides to the conflict, is believed to have premised its position on the disruption that a change of guard at the party leadership might cause given the focus on the 2023 elections campaign, now in full swing.
Only on Saturday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba announced that its presidential campaign would be flagged off on Monday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
While the official commencement of the national elections – presidential and National Assembly – kicked off on 28th September, going by the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission, that of the governorship and state assembly is this week’s Wednesday.
The BoT reconciliation committee, a source told Sunday PUNCH, concluded that it would be counterproductive and damaging to the party if Ayu was forced out of office before the elections. It therefore recommended that Wike and his team be persuaded to show understanding.
The committee however indicted the party leadership for mishandling the post-presidential primary crisis.
Wike had complained about how Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was allowed to return to the stage to rally delegates’ support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar after he (Tambuwal) earlier had his turn on the podium as a presidential aspirant.
Atiku defeated Wike by 371 votes to 237 with the latter convinced that Tambuwal’s last minute action, which Wike complained was illegal in the voting process, tilted the tide against his emergence as PDP presidential candidate.
Wike is also said to be embittered that Atiku dismissed the report he set up to recommend a running mate for him. Many members of that committee have said that Wike was their majority choice, but Atiku rather settled for Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The source further said: “We listened to Wike and I must admit that he has good intentions for the party and our presidential candidate. When we met him, he explained his grievances to us and we almost agreed to everything he said. It is the fault of our leaders. They did not handle it well.
“They ought to have called him and others immediately after the primary and hold meetings with them. We cannot do without him. We need him in our campaign council. He has charisma for campaigns; he has people around him and he also has some governors with him, and the money to spend.
“But I think it is too late in the day to ask Ayu to go. It is practically not possible. We may have to listen to him and appeal to others like Wike to allow us to manage the situation now because we cannot afford to lose the elections”.
Wike has repeatedly said he would not leave the PDP but would not work for its presidential candidate if Ayu remains the national chairman.
