Atiku’s rejection of Wike tears PDP apart. The Peoples Democratic Party appears to be headed toward self-destruction one month after former vice president Atiku Abubakar won the nomination for president.
It should be recalled that Atiku became the front-runner after Aminu Tambuwal abruptly withdrew, a decision that infuriated Governor Nyesom Wike and his supporters.
“I’ve just decided that our party can’t be ruined. Without your permission, this convention cannot proceed and I would have stood up from where I was sitting. Some days after the convention, Wike had declared, “I would have flattened him.
Atiku’s rejection of Wike tears PDP apart. The damage from the primary election was thought to be resolved during the post-convention reunion, but the selection of the vice presidential running partner has further polarized the party.
Many PDP leaders have publicly criticized the selection of Okowa thus far, claiming that Atiku broke his commitment to choose Wike as his running partner.
Governor Wike, however, had already stated that he would not accept the position of running mate for anyone. He had stated, “I’m coming out to compete for the number one position in the country, I’m not coming out to negotiate to be vice to anyone.”
Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti State, and Samuel Ortom, the current governor, have lately asserted that Wike received the vice president’s position as payment from Atiku.
On May 30, Atiku paid a visit to Wike at his home in Abuja and pledged to work closely with him to win the party in 2023.
The PDP has been praised for being the only major political party to have decided on a running mate; nevertheless, the selection of Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State, as the party’s running mate appears to be dividing it.
“Wike never expressed a desire to serve as vice president, but when Atiku visited him, it was he who said, “I want you to be my vice president. That is what he told Wike. Is Wike not expected to be notified if that were to change? Does he not have a right to know? Fayose has informed the media.
Ortom, who questioned the justification for tossing out the 17-man committee’s proposal on the Vice President, agreed with this.
In a Channels TV interview, Ortom said that 14 committee members supported Wike while only three voted for Okowa. While stating that he has not yet made up his mind about Atiku, he urged the PDP nominee to get in touch with Wike.
