PDP: People Around Atiku Frustrating Reconciliation-Wike

By Bukola Kayode

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has accused some people around the presidential flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of frustrating his efforts at peace.

Wike said he’s only request has been for the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to step down for a southerner as the party already has a northern presidential candidate. He insisted that the agreement for the party to have a southern National Chairman with emergence of a northern candidate.

Wike stated this when he hosted Cross River State PDP governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives, House of Assembly candidates, and local government party chairmen, at his private residence in Rumueprikom on Wednesday night.

This was contained in a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, Special Assistant on Media to the governor and made available to newsmen on Thursday afternoon.

“This is the period that power game is being played. If you don’t have it now, forget it. If anybody tells you, let (Iyorchia) Ayu resign after an election is conducted, then you are a foolish person.

“This is the time decision is being made. This is the time the presidential candidate, national chairman, and the leader of the campaign will sit, when the election is won in February before the president is sworn in, decisions would have been made.”

“He (national chairman) said, if the presidential candidate comes from the north, he will resign, which means he has had this in mind. Now, the thing has come to reality, now resign, no. And people are saying go and talk to Wike.

“I’ve accepted the presidential candidate, I have accepted the vice presidential candidate, what’s the problem again? You fulfill your part. Let the South have something, that is all I’m preaching.

“You cannot have presidential candidate, national chairman, director general of the campaign,” the statement further read.