Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State and an ally of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has warned the PDP to resolve it’s internal conflict before the campaign for 2023 elections.
BASIC FACTS
- Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State have told his party, the PDP to resolve it’s internal conflict as the 2023 General elections campaign kicks off.
- The Governor said the Party leadership has failed to deploy it’s internal mechanism to resolve the Party’s conflict.
- Governor Ortom who is a friend to Rivers State governor also warned the party against ignoring Wike.
WHAT WE KNOW
The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party, its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other chieftains to resolve the crisis and placate Wike ahead of the campaign season.
Ortom decried that the party leadership has failed to deploy its internal mechanism to resolve the crisis rocking the party.
He further said that ignoring the Rivers governor and his allies posed a great danger for the party.
Ortom stated this during the party stakeholders meeting held at the new banquet hall of the Government House, Makurdi, on Monday.
The governor insisted that the national leadership of the party should address the injustices meted out to Wike and other members of the party.
Speaking at the event, the governor cautioned the party leadership, against ignoring Rivers State Governor, Wike or any of his allies, as such may spell doom for the party.
Speaking about the caucus meeting, Ortom said the stakeholders’ meeting was to discuss the formation of the campaign council in the state.
Governor Ortom said the APC had been de-marketed in the state, adding that the PDP is poised to win all elective positions in the forthcoming elections.
Also speaking of the 2023 polls, a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has sued for peace and unity among the PDP members in Ekiti state so they could work together for the victory of all the party candidates in the 2023 general elections.
Fayose, who expressed confidence that the PDP would rise again in Nigeria and in particular, Ekiti State, hinted that he remained in the camp of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.
The ex-governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting, reminded PDP members in the state that the need to work together as a team for the success of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar; National Assembly; and State House of Assembly candidates in the 2023 general elections could not be overemphasized.
At the PDP event in Ekiti State, the Party’s governorship candidate in the June 18 election, Bisi Kolawole, thanked members for support during the poll.
The PDP acting state Chairman, Lanre Omolase, affirmed the party’s belief in Fayose’s leadership, saying that those plotting against him should sheath their sword in the interest of the party candidates who are standing for elections next year.
NOTABLE QUOTES
Speaking in Markudi, the Benue State Governor said:
“If you dismiss us that you don’t need us, I believe that will be dangerous. I want the party to address the injustices so that as we move into the election, we will work together and we will have no crisis.”
“There is an injustice that has been meted to my friend, Wike because he stood for the party and supported it to the end.
“The leadership of the party should do the needful to resolve the problem and not shove people around as though they are not relevant. Everyone is relevant and one vote can make you fail in an election.
“So, the leadership at the national level should do more; politics is about interest and what is the interest of our state and our people? What do I tell my people in Benue?
“The leadership of the party was not able to deploy its internal conflict resolution management skills in solving the problems that arose and then, it has continued. To me, it is better for us to work together and deliver this party.’’
In Ekiti State, former Governor of the State, Ayo Fayose stated:
“Therefore, I am appealing to those who are angry to stop being angry. Those who are fighting should stop fighting. Let us face the 2023 elections together and win first. After that, we can resume the fight.
“A lot has been said, but as I have said many times, let me state it here expressly again that I will never join the All Progressives Congress for whatever reason.
“In all the issues we are having as a party, no one has said that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not our presidential candidate. No one has said too that Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is not our party’s vice presidential candidate.
“Also, we have senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates here. Among them is my biological son, Joju and others who are my political sons and daughters. My interest is that all these candidates should win elections,” Fayose said.
On his part, the PDP governorship candidate in the June 18 election, Bisi Kolawole said, “Although we lost, I am still grateful to the party for the opportunity and I wish to urge all the party stakeholders to close ranks so that together, we will rise again.”
CATCH UP
The crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still raging on. This is notwithstanding the setting up of the campaign council by the 2023 general elections.
The camp epitomized by the River State governor, Nyesom Wike and some other governors in the southern part of the country have however sort to their gun, insisting on the removal of the National Chainman of the PDP, Prof Iyorcha Ayu and replacing him with a southerner.
In the same camp with Nyesom Wike is the Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, and Ayo Fayose Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti State. They have both maintained their support for the Rivers State governor and his agitation in the PDP.
TAKEAWAY
If the PDP leadership fails to heed the call from within to resolve the party crisis, we may see a situation where in traditional PDP states, the party wins or make a good outing in other elective position but a poor showing in the Presidential election.
The uncompromising nature of Atiku and Ayu can only leave Nigerians wondering how they will resolve conflict that will definitely arise in governance.
What the party and her presidential candidate seems not have realised is that, not only are they running out of time, but are also creating doubt in the minds of the electorates, even those who would have without question opted for the party, are already weighing other options.
