PDP Crisis: Wike Fights With Top PDP Members Justified – Bode George

Throwing his weight behind Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in the fight to get Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to step down, former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, has said Wike was fighting for justice.

According to him, Wike was fighting against injustice, for equity, for fairness, and is a pillar, mobiliser, a financier and actualiser.

Following Ayu’s resolve not to step down, Wike had taken a swipe at him, accusing Ayu of ingratitude after he (Wike) and allies helped return him as chairman.

Governor Wike, however, insisted that nothing will save Ayu from being ousted.

Senator Ayu had dismissed calls for his removal from office, wondering where those championing such calls were when he and other Nigerians formed the party.

Speaking in an interview with the Hausa Service of BBC monitored in Abuja, the PDP chairman, had in a veiled reference to Governor Wike, declared that party leaders had worked so hard to a point where they would not allow an individual destroy all they laboured to build.

Say what you like, it won’t save you, Wike blasts Ayu

Speaking during the inauguration of internal roads constructed by the Rivers State Government at Omerelu, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Wike berated Ayu over his comments.

His words: “You were sleeping in your house, calling me per second, saying my brother, my brother. Today, all those who brought you as chairman are all boys. Nigerians have seen how ungrateful some of you can be.

“That is why Nigerians are also careful, thinking if you give these people power, how grateful will they be to Nigerians? I’ve kept quiet thinking we will reconcile. Now that you have become arrogant to say you were elected, where did you campaign?

“Where were your campaign posters? Even when we gave you money to print posters, you pocketed it.

“Hire all the media moguls, hire all social media top people, and write all you can write, it will not save you. Carry all the television houses working for you; it will not bother me at all. I do what my conscience tells me to do and what is right for our people.

“Ayu said we are children. Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter and made you chairman. Ayu, you were impeached as Senate president. Ayu, you were sacked by Olusegun Obasanjo in his administration two times.

“Arrogance cannot take you anywhere. Now, we have seen that you don’t want the party to win elections, we’ll help you. When you should instead come out to say ‘I’m sorry, for the sake of us’, he is telling us we are children.

“A man, who is inconsistent and ran away from the party, telling those of us who spent our time and had sleepless nights to make sure this party does not go down. Now, he has the audacity to say we are children.

“We will tell him you’re a prodigal father. A man that was impeached, sacked and ran away from the party is now coming to say, I’m founding member of the party. Then you ran away.”

He must go before campaigns begin — Bode George

Also backing Wike on the ‘Ayu must go slogan’, George, who was special guest at the inauguration of internal roads constructed by the Rivers State Government, attacked Ayu, accusing him of ingratitude.

The PDP leader, however, noted that nothing will save Ayu from being removed.

He said: “The issue of the PDP chairman must be addressed before commencement of campaigns for the 2023 elections.

“It is an antithesis and against the norms and culture of our party that our presidential candidate, our national chairman and the chairman of the Board of Trustees will come from one section of the country.

“Party members from the South are already feeling alienated; the PDP is not a private company. So, before we start the presidential campaign at the end of this month, the National Chairman must go to the South.

“That is what Governor Wike is saying and as a life member of the Board of Trustees of our party, I support this position 100 per cent.

“Statutorily, it is the National Chairman, who hands over the party’s flag to our presidential candidate. How will party members from the South feel when they see that, at all political rallies, Southerners have no public political representation?

“But we can only go back to Aso Rock if we are united and not divided. Some people are abusing Governor Wike that he is a trouble shooter (sic). Those abusing him, as an elder and as a father in this party, must stop immediately.

Wike fighting for injustice

“Governor Wike is only fighting against injustice, for equity, for fairness in our party. He is not only a strong pillar in this party, but a mobiliser, a financier and an actualizer.

“Since he joined the PDP, he has not left this party. I am also a founding father of the party and since 1998, I have not left this party.”

PDP risks losing S-West, says ex-NWC member

With the worsening crisis in the party, a former member of the National Working Committee, NWC, warned that the PDP risks losing bulk votes from the South-West geo-political zone if its leaders fail to do the needful.

The source, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, said: “From what is going on, the PDP risks losing bulk votes from the South-West.

“That is what will happen. Seyi Makinde, who is the only governor in the South-West for now, is with Wike and he has the clout in the South-West.

“Senator Demola Adeleke, who is the governor-elect of Osun State, does not have a relationship with any of the camps for now and he does not have the power of control for now.

“Atiku and Ayu are leaving the South-West for Tinubu and Obi to take charge. The only way Atiku can make headway is in Oyo State but Seyi Makinde is not on Atiku’s side.

“Who is there for them in Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos or Ondo states? Ayo Fayose is on Wike’s side. In Osun State, when the chips are down, Ademola Adeleke does not have the political control over PDP members in the state.

“Therefore, the PDP risks losing the South-West because for now, it is only Wike’s voice they’re hearing, there are many who believe in Wike’s cause, but are not talking now, are more in number. Wike is saying the minds of many.”

Asking Ayu, others to resign won’t solve problem—Babatope

Also speaking on the crisis, a former Minister of Transportation, Chief Ebenezer Babatope faulted those calling for Ayu’s resignation.

Babatope, a PDP leader, however, expressed optimism that leaders and elders will intervene in the crisis.

He said: “I am sure that the elders of the party will move and ensure they salvage the situation.

“I am sure they are going to intervene and ensure there is peace in the party. I am sure that eventually we are going to see peace because the crisis is very embarrassing.

“If I am to express my personal opinion, I don’t think asking the leadership of the party to resign now, will solve the situation. Escapism is never the way out of any problem, it worsens the problem and complicates the problem.

“Wike and others are leaders of the party and I don’t see any one of them losing and that is why we need to bring everyone of them on board to ensure there is victory for the party.

If we don’t have peace, then, we are going to do ourselves a lot of harm.”