The Port Harcourt home of the Rivers State governor is now a political mecca of some sort and the fastest growing hot spot for political consultation in the country as the 2023 elections draw near. At least 18 governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in next year’s elections on Tuesday night met with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in a new attempt to resolve the impasse in the party.
The meeting which ended the next day was held at Governor Wike’s private resident at Ada George Road, Port Harcourt.
BASIC FACTS
- PDP flagbearers and governorship candidates have had a consultative meeting with governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
- The meeting which ended on Wednesday was an attempt to end the party’s lingering crisis.
- Following the Port Harcourt meeting with Wike, the governorship candidates will meet with the party’s NWC.
WHAT WE KNOW
Governorship candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have held a consultative meeting with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in Port Harcourt.
The candidates arrived the private home of the Rivers governor in Port Harcourt, the state capital, at 8pm on Tuesday for a closed-door meeting that lasted till the early hours of Wednesday.
The candidates in attendance include that of Kaduna, Plateau, Katsina, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Benue, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe. Others are, Kwara, Kano, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers.
After the meeting, the Chairman of the PDP Governorship Candidates Forum and Governorship Candidate of Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, told journalists that they are hopeful the discussion with Wike, which comes a few days after their meeting with the Presidential Candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, will go a long way in resolving the internal crisis.
He said their next line of action is to meet with the National Working Committee of the party.
COMMENTARY
The resident of Nyesom Wike, the Rivers State governor has become a political mecca of some sort in the recent times, though open to all political religions in the country.
Virtually everyone who is someone in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other major political parties have visited Wike in Port Harcourt in an attempt to placate him and bring him back to the fold of the PDP.
Those who have visited the PDP bigwig has also crossed across parties, as the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) has also led an official delegation to meet with Wike in Port Harcourt in an attempt to woe him to their side.
Recently, governor Wike has invited and hosted two prominent members of the APC for the commissioning of projects in Rivers State.
The current governor of Lagos state – Governor Sanwo Olu, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives who are both members of the APC have recently commissioned Governor Wike`s projects in Rivers State.
Also, Mr Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, whose reigning popularity have been on the increase have also made a stop twice in Port Harcourt in attempt to win Wike`s support.
Peter Obi`s rise is one major factor in the political equation currently in the country. This was subtly mentioned by Sam Ohuabunwa, a chieftain of the PDP during a life interview monitored by Clariform on Channels TV, when he made reference to “the rising of the third force”, even without referring to Peter Obi by name.
Clariform has reported that the Labour Party presidential candidate for the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi on Tuesday held an announced meeting at the home of Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt.
At the meeting were Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, who are known political allies of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
Also present at the meeting were former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Donald Duke of Cross Rivers State and Dakawanbo of Gombe state.
Two independent sources close to the River State governor have confirmed to a Clariform correspondent that some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are seriously considering the endorsement of Peter Obi for president in 2023.
The sources did not mention names, but both have indicated that those who are currently considering the endorsement Peter Obi goes beyond those present at the Port Harcourt meeting with Wike.
One of the sources said that rift between Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate is not exactly why the consideration of Obi is on the table, but that it is certainly fast tracking the decision. The source said that “Obi is no doubt a winning formula.”
“He is the candidate to beat in this election, especially with additional support from some grassroot politicians. We have seen the handwriting on the wall and we are working on the best approach to herness his potentials. In fact it was a mistake not to have rallied round him to gun for the PDP ticket in the first place. Most of us are regretting things now.”
CATCH-UP WITH THE PDP CRISIS
Clariform reports that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is from the Northern political block of the party who has emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP at the party’s Abuja convention, after beating other contenders.
This was following a rancorous clamour for the Peoples Democratic Party to feature a Southerner as their presidential flagbearer in line with the party`s agreed zooning formula.
Following the emergence of a Northerner, the call for the National Chairman who is also from the North to resign has become louder in the party, but this call is still been resisted by Senator Ayu.
Ayo`s resignation as Clariform have learnt is a condition precedent demanded by the group led by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike for the resolution of their rift with Atiku Abubakar.
However, the party Chairman has indicated clearly that he has no plan to resign his position. This was made in a statement on Monday by Mr Simon Imobo-Tswana, Senator Ayo`s Special Adviser on Media and Communication.
“We restate, therefore, that the PDP National Chairman has not resigned and has no plan of resigning. For clarity and emphasis, he was elected for a tenure of four years.
“Sections 45 and 47 of the PDP Constitution are clear on the removal and/or resignation of the National Chairman.
“Those who don’t know this should get copies of the party’s Constitution for more information on the matter.
“PDP members and the general public are advised to ignore any story of such a phantom resignation,” he said.
Also, a reliable source familiar with the happenings within the PDP told Clariform reporter that the rift between Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the PDP presidential candidate is fast tracking a decision by some displeased party big wigs to consider the option of supporting the candidacy of Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
The source said that “Obi is no doubt a winning formula. He is the candidate to beat in this election, especially with additional support from some grass root politicians.
“We have seen the handwriting on the wall and we are working on the best approach to herness his potentials. In fact it was a mistake not to have rallied round him to gun for the PDP ticket in the first place. Most of us are regretting things now”, he added.
TAKEAWAY
Clariform investigations have revealed that the crisis in PDP has deepened greatly following the way and manner Atiku went about the choice of his running mate after his alliance with Governor Tambuwal led to the defeat of Governor Wike at the PDP primary.
Atiku went further to chose Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State over Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who was the popular choice of the PDP chieftains for the position of the PDP/Atiku`s running mate.
A reading of the political heartbeat of the country cannot discountenance the weight that Nyesom Wike carries in the scheme of things, both within and outside the PDP. Mr Wike is believed to be key for the success of PDP in the 2023 presidential poll.
In any case, there are some people who are happy with the events going on in the PDP, especially those who are set to benefit directly from it. The ruling APC for instance have been inching closer to Wike since the disagreements with the PDP flagbearer.
