Amidst the on-going face off between the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike; Atiku may have bowed to pressure from members of his group to form his campaign team without Wike, this was revealed yesterday.
The former president may be working to break the rank of Wike supporters by offering them positions in his campaign team, ahead of campaigns which will kick off on September 28 on the order of the INEC.
Yesterday, 17 PDP governorship aspirants visited and held a meeting with Wike in Portharcourt. Their mission was to plead with Wike to forgive leaders of the party that had offended him and support Atiku.
Sources from within the PDP say that Atiku is targeting Governors Ortom and Ugwuanyi to support him. However, Arapaja, from the South-West, is also being considered as campaign DG or party chairman. Others being considered are Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal and Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
At the moment, PDP top positions are being occupied by northerners. Whilst Atiku is from Adamawa State in the North-East, Ayu is from Benue State in the North Central.
Also, PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Walid Jibrin, is from Nasarawa State in the North Central.
PDP Governorship Candidates Meet Wike
Among the 16 candidates that were at the meeting were Mustapha Sule Lamido of Jigawa State; Isa Ashiru (Kaduna State), and Yakubu Lado Danmarke of Kastina State.
The PDP candidate for Jigawa State is the son of a former minister, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who has in recent weeks been involved in altercations with Wike over the crisis rocking the party.
Yesterday, Wike alleged that he has received death threats and assured his supporters not ro be scared. He said, “If you are a Rivers man, you don’t need to be intimidated by anybody. We must take our rightful position. So, nobody should be worried. Intimidating me?
“Some people tell me, ‘Oh, be careful, they will kill you’. Kill who? Who told you, you will not die first?
“Those of you who are panicking, you don’t need to panic. I have God, what are you afraid of? They have chased us, they fought us but today we are standing very strong.”
The PDP is scheduled to hold its NEC meeting tomorrow.