2023: PDP BoT to meet on Atiku-Wike feud Wednesday

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday in a bid to find a lasting solution to the crisis rocking the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The PDP leaders and other stakeholders had in the last one week held talks on how to resolve the crisis that hit the party shortly after the conclusion of its presidential primary in May.

The process that led to the emergence of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the party’s vice-presidential candidate divided the party into two groups with a faction backing the Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike, spoiling for a showdown with the party’s leadership over alleged poor treatment of their man, who is regarded as one of the party’s most reliable members.

The Rivers State governor had during a meeting with his counterparts on Sunday in Abuja said he was not consulted by the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before Okowa was picked as the vice-presidential candidate.

The Chairman of the PDP BoT, Walid Jibril, who announced the meeting in a statement in Abuja, said the party was determined to resolve grievances among its members ahead of next year’s election.

He insisted that the party was not in crisis.

Jibril said: “I notice with great concern that the PDP primary elections of Atiku Abubakar and the appointment of Chief Okowa as President and Vice President is unnecessarily causing confusion among some PDP members. May I point out very strongly that there is no problem as envisaged by some people in our great party the PDP.

“I want to assure everyone that all plans are on ground to bring all members together as one and united, as what is happening in PDP can never be compared with the situation in APC, especially their plans in trying to bring religious issues of Muslim-Muslim President and Vice President.

“I have also noted that some groups are coming up trying to solve the issues of Okowa as Vice-President. The latest group includes some former governors of the party and the current governors, some BoT members and elders including Prof. Jerry Gana.

“The aim of the group is reconcile aggrieved especially Wike. Interestingly the BoT the highest advisory body and the conscience of the party, is meeting on Wednesday 3rd August to discuss the issues accordingly by coming up with strong recommendations with the special committee for the special reconciliation of aggrieved members especially Governor Wike.

“After the BoT meeting we will meet with Wike and all aggrieved members and all past presidential Aspirants. It is my prayer as Chairman of BoT that the PDP will remain strong and win all elections in 2023.”

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