•••PULL OUT OF ATIKU’S CAMPAIGN
Alfred Harrison and Kamsi Anayo
The sympathisers and the supporters of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ), on Wednesday, disengaged themselves from the campaign Council of the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar.
The group staged a walk out during their stormy meeting held at the country home of Wike in Obio-Akpor early morning on Wednesday.
According to the members of the team, they are not to participate in Atiku’s campaign activities until the resignation of the embattled party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.
Wike’s clique have insisted that there would be no deal with Atiku until Ayu vacates his office to allow an acting Chairman from the South to lead the campaign of Atiku.
Those demanding that Ayu must-go are some of the aggrieved party leaders comprising founding members of the party, sitting governors, former ministers and other Chieftains of the party.
The group made their position known in a resolution read by a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George.
According to the members, their stand on the vexed issues was not negotiable as the chairmanship of Ayu undermined the unity and constitution of the party.
Bode George while reading the resolution reached by the group, stated that they were deeply concerned about the division in the PDP, despite the party’s age-long internal mechanism designed to guarantee inclusiveness.
“We resolve that we are deeply concerned by the division in our party. We are aware that over the years our party has developed conflict resolution mechanisms that guarantee inclusiveness.
“The published presidential campaign council list translates to putting the cat before the horse. The pertinent issue remains the resolution of the leadership which is a departure of Senator Iyorchia.
“Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of the Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign
“Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu”. Bode George stated.
The group stated further that Ayu compromised the May 28 and 29 presidential primary of the party through his conduct.
Speaking in his remarks, former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah Jang likened Ayu to a partial referee, who assisted one side to score a goal during a football match and later blew the whistle.
“For a National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to go and embrace Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tanbuwal, calling him the hero of the convention meant that there was a private arrangement that was done with Tambuwal to shortchange other contestants including Governor Wike.
“Here was a referee, who helped one of his sides to score a goal and then blew the whistle. This is not what we formed the PDP to do for Nigerians. Therefore, we unequivocally ask that Ayu must step down.” Jang stated
The group explained that their support for Wike was neither because he lost the presidential primary nor because he was not chosen as the Vice-presidential running mate but because of equity and justice in the party.
former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, added that if the party intended to restructure Nigeria, it should have the courage to restructure itself.
“You cannot build on a faulty foundation. This call for the chairman to step down or resign is not because any of us is aggrieved but because we believe it is important to ensure
a just, fair, principled and constitutional structure for the party. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we should have the courage to restructure our party”. He said.
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, expressed confidence adding that those concerned would listen to the voice of reason.
“We hope that the powers that be listen to the voice of reason and do the needful”. He stated.
However, below are the names that pulled out of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign council
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and
Ex Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang.
Others are Ex Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, Bode George of Lagos, Jerry Gana, Dan Orbih from Edo and a host of others.