Strong allies of Atiku Abubakar have jilted him in his move to expel former Governor Nyesom Wike from the Peoples Democratic Party.
ENigeria Newspaper reports that the nomination of the former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike for a ministerial position in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government is currently creating chaos within the PDP, hence resuming the call for the expulsion of the embattled former governor from the party.
This newspaper understands that a crucial meeting of stakeholders in the PDP considered to be loyal to Atiku Abubakar was held during the weekend at the instance of the former Vice President and flagbearer of the PDP in the concluded 2023 Presidential election.
ENigeria Newspaper understands that most of the attendees at the meeting rooted for Wike’s expulsion, while some feared that it may further divide the PDP and lead to an “ANPP” syndrome.
You would recall that the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), which started as All Peoples Party (APP) in 1999, was the strongest opposition party in the country, controlling nine states between 1999 and 2003.
However, a protracted internal crisis such as this soon divided the party and it was left with just three states by 2007, after which it paled into insignificance before dissolving into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.
Consequently, too, there are indications that loyalists of Wike within the party are already spoiling for war, threatening to destabilize the party and remake another similar scenario to the ANPP crisis in 2007, should the former Governor be expelled from the party.
Why Atiku Wants Wike Out
You would recall that Atiku defeated Wike at the Party primaries and clinched the ticket as the flagbearer of the PDP during the last election. The defeat of the former soon turned into Atiku’s unmaking at the Presidential election after mismanaged internal infractions within the party reportedly orchestrated his defeat at the polls.
Wike openly criticized Atiku especially when the former Vice President failed to pick him as his running mate but went ahead to make what was largely considered snide comments against the former governor on live Tv.
The development led to the founding of the G5 group spearheaded by Wike which is believed to have worked for the opposition during the Presidential election. Already, the G5 also known as Wike’s group floored Atiku’s group in the battle for minority leader position both in the Senate and House of Reps, after successfully installing Simon Davou Mwadkwon (Plateau) as Senate minority leader and Kingsley Chinda (Rivers) minority leader in the House of reps.
The defeat of the Atiku loyalists in the national assembly, led by former governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, was considered another kick in the teeth.
Wike’s Ministerial Nomination, Acceptance
The PDP situation has been complicated with the nomination of Wike, whom Atiku defeated in party’s presidential primary last year, by President Bola Tinubu for a ministerial position in the APC government.
PDP Constitution Against Atiku, Loyalists Working to Expel Wike
An NWC member told TheCable that the “elders and stakeholders” that met with Atiku last weekend do not hold any official position in the PDP and are not constitutionally empowered to suspend Wike.
Iyorchia Ayu, the former national chairman who was suspended through a court order, attended the meeting.
But a former governor who is loyal to Atiku told TheCable that most NWC members “have sold their souls to Wike” and are no longer trusted to do what is right for the party.
TheCable previously reported that PDP members loyal to Atiku are moving against Umar Ililya Damagum, the acting national chairman, over allegations that he is working for Wike.
Atiku, party insiders told TheCable, has been unhappy with Damagum for allegedly hobnobbing with Wike.
Atiku’s biggest supporters — Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa, Babangida Aliyu, former governor of Niger, and Adamu Maina Waziri, former minister — have moved against the acting chairman, who took over from Ayu in March 2023.
Damagum and Ahmadu Fintiri, the governor of Adamawa, Atiku’s home state, are accused of “hobnobbing” with Wike.
The Atiku loyalists also alleged that Damagum “mismanaged” the funds he inherited from the Ayu-led NWC, an allegation he denies.
However, TheCable also reported that some Atiku’s proxies have also been reaching out to Wike to help with the party’s election cases at the tribunals across the country.
