The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has put measures in place to resolve the differences between its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.
Mohammed had, in a letter dated November 3, and addressed to the party’s national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, threatened to dump the PDP presidential campaign if Bauchi politicians, loyal to Atiku and allegedly with his (Atiku’s) support continue to work against his re-election bid.
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Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, told Daily Trust that the party’s leadership had taken steps to address the governor’s concern.
He said a peace mission led by Ayu, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and comprising a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, was in Bauchi to meet Bala Mohammed with a view to resolving the issue.
He said, “The PDP delegation to Bauchi State shows that the party wants to be united; it listens to every complaint and observation and concerns. Many of these concerns are also brought to the fore by virtue of the fact that we are a democratic party.
“The process is ongoing, it is not a hundred-meter dash. We don’t want to discuss what we are doing on the pages of newspapers. But when the issue is settled, you will see our party united.”
Also, the Bauchi governor yesterday visited the former vice president in Abuja to resolve issues raising dusts in the state chapter of PDP.
Mohammed posted on his Twitter and Facebook accounts, his picture with Atiku, with caption saying, “Today, I led a delegation of Bauchi stakeholders of the PDP to Abuja on a courtesy visit to the PDP Presidential Candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“Key to our discussion were issues relating to the progress of our great party.”
Daily Trust reports that five governors of the party (G-5) – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) – are at war with the leadership of PDP.
Speaking in Makurdi at a state banquet organised for the visiting G-5 governors, Ortom said he would not support Atiku’s presidential bid.
“Anybody supporting Atiku in Benue is an enemy of the state,” Ortom had said.
Reacting to Ortom’s statement, the PDP spokesman said even the Benue State governor has agreed that Nigeria is sick and there is a need to rescue the country.
“We respect all our governors and the concerns that they have expressed. We have solid structures that allow us to navigate this kind of challenge.
“We are on ground, we are working and since we all have the same purpose of rescuing this country, having regard to the characters of the governors and their contributions to the party, I am sure that we will at the end of the day come together to rescue the country.
“Whatever statement that has been made by Governor Ortom has been noted by the party. We respect every opinion; we don’t want to discuss these issues publicly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Daily Trust gathered from sources that the G-5 governors have begun moves to mobilise their colleagues in the party against the candidature of Atiku Abubakar.
A highly-placed party source said the Wike’s camp had reached out to governors of Bauchi and Akwa-Ibom states to join their ranks.
He said, “Ayu has the privilege of having his own state governor, Samuel Ortom, among the five aggrieved governors. He ought to have, through Ortom, met with them and sort out things. But he abused all those opportunities.”
However, the PDP National Chairman, Dr Ayu said the party would win the presidential election despite the opposition from the G-5 governors.
The media aide to the National Chairman, Simon Imobo-Tswam, in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday, said: “We are still talking, the window is still open and our message is that of diplomacy, with reconciliation we are stronger. We may have issues in the party but our eyes are on the ball.”
Lagos PDP shuns Bode George, sets up Atiku’s campaign c’ttee
The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has constituted a 103-member presidential campaign committee ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The committee, set up yesterday, is saddled with the task of mobilising votes for the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other candidates in the state, according to the Publicity Secretary, Mr. Hakeem Amode.
The party, however, bypassed one of its leaders, Chief Bode George who had aligned with the G-5 governors led by Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State who had withdrawn support for Atiku.
But the state PDP Chairman, Mr. Phillips Aivoji told Daily Trust in an exclusive chat that Lagos PDP is fully in support of the presidential candidate.
He said he had the task of delivering Lagos for PDP and would not be distracted in the process.
He said, “Secondly majority of PDP members are in support of Atiku. Atiku is our candidate and we are ready to work for him and we are ready to deliver Lagos for him.
“Anyone not supporting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not a loyal member, a disgruntled member.”
He said the campaign council would be replicated at the local government and at ward levels.
Meanwhile, a statement by the Publicity Secretary indicated that the committee would be chaired by Mr. Deji Doherty, a former PDP chairman in the state while Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran, the party’s governorship candidate will serve as the vice chairman.
The spokesman, who noted that Mr Tolagbe Animashaun would serve as the campaign director, said the committee would be assisted by 18 directorates in the campaign committee, headed by a deputy director.
Some notable leaders who made the list included Jimi Agbaje, Ade Dosunmu, Philip Aivoji, Gomez Adewale, Abimbola Ogunkelu, Dapo Sarumi, Bayo Williams, Wahab Owokoniran, Tanwa Olusi, Fatia Shodimu, Wellington Bankole, Tajudeen Obasa, Sola Osolana, Setonji Koshoedo, Idowu Akinsanya, among others.
By Baba Martins (Abuja), Abdullateef Aliyu (Lagos) & Hassan Ibrahim (Bauchi)
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