Disregard for zoning root cause of PDP crisis —Wike

As the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to attract more attention, Governor Nyeson Wike of Rivers State has said the party dug its own grave by disregarding zoning in the first place.

The Governor made this assertion during a chat with journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The opposition has been engulfed in crisis resulting from the continued retention of Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the party.

Key members of the party from the South, including Wike, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state and Bode George, had felt that the presidential candidate and the National Chairman of the party must not come from the same region.

This had led to their total withdrawal from Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign activities.

Speaking on the cause of the crisis, Wike said the party’s total disregard for the zoning arrangement prior to the primaries was a grave mistake.

Read also:Ayu: PDP showing Nigerians that it cannot be trusted ahead of 2023 elections —Wike

He stressed that issues relating to resignation wouldn’t have emerged if the party had adhered strictly to its constitution.

“I must say that the root cause of this problem is the party’s disregard for zoning of elective offices. We have jettisoned the country and laid a wrong foundation for the future. At this time in the country, there must be people committed to the progress and development of the country”, he said.

Wike also described as wrong the party’s jettisoning of integrity, the failure of the ruling party doesn’t mean everything should go in the opposition, he argued.

He added that resignation isn’t tantamount to removal completely, urging the National Chairman to do the needful in the interest of the party and Nigeria at large.

“We won’t do the wrong thing because Nigerians are not happy with the ruling party. We should not take Nigerians for granted just because they’re tired of the present adminstration. Right things must be done in the interest of justice and fairness.”

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