2023 UPDATE: Nyesom Wike insists PDP national chairman must go

The crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not come to an end soon as Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is insisting on immediate resignation of the National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and a stop to the plot to undermine his close allies like the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom; former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and others.

Governor Wike was said to have fumed yesterday’s evening when information reached him that Senator Ayu was allegedly planning to use his position as national chairman to undermine the likes of Fayose, Ortom and others in their various States.

The governor is also said to be insisting that Senator Ayu must resign in line with what he said was agreed upon before he (Ayu) was made the national chairman.

A close ally of the Rivers State Governor told Vanguard that even though the governor is not against dialogue, he will not have any one-on-one meeting with the PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

The Governor’s ally, who preferred anonymity confirmed to newsmen that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Governor Ortom, Fayose, former Governor of Gombe, Ibrahim Dankwambo and former Governor of Cross River, Donald Duke have been named as members of Governor Wike’s strategy team.

“The strategy team will be responsible for holding talks with Atiku and his men.

“Also, Governor is insisting that Ayu must step down from his position as national chairman since the party has picked its presidential candidate from the North.

“Wike is of the opinion that the North cannot have both the presidential candidate of the PDP and national chairman at the same time.

“He is also watching events in some State chapters of the party, especially where his allies are involved. He told some of his men yesterday that should anything be done to undermine the interest of his allies because of their support for him, even his team will no longer be available for any peace talks.

“For instance, look at what they did Ekiti during the governorship election. Look at how those at Wadata abandoned the party in Ekiti just because of Fayose’s support for Governor Wike. He (Wike) is has said that he will no longer sit back and allow any of his allies to be undermined under any guise,” he said.