2023: Anxiety Heightens In PDP Over Wike’s ‘Defection Plan’

2023: Anxiety Heightens In PDP Over Wike’s ‘Defection Plan’.

The controversies that followed the Presidential primaries of the Peoples’ Democratic Party are yet to die down over two months after the exercise was conducted.

At the center of the controversies is the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike who was defeated in the primaries by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

Wike, a first-time contender in presidential elections polled 237 votes which were, however, not enough to secure him the ticket against Atiku Abubakar who scored 371 out of the 746 valid votes.

A dramatic withdrawal of former ally to Wike, Aminu Tambuwal for Atiku Abubakar was believed to have whittled down the chances of the Rivers State governor at the convention.

Addressing delegates at the convention, Gov. Wike had pledged to support anyone who emerged as the winner at the primaries.

In his words, “Today, anybody who emerges here I will support the person to the fullest because I’m a committed party person because I love this party because since 1998 I have been in this party.

“I will work for this party, I will not go anywhere, this is my party”.

With the latest crisis within the PDP, Wike appears to have reneged on the promise he made at the convention.

The matter worsened after the presidential candidate of the PDP overlooked Wike and chose Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

During his interview on Arise TV, Atiku explained his reasons for his choice of Okowa as running mate.

He noted that he chose whom he believes he can “work with amicably” and somebody that can “deliver”.

The comments of Atiku seemed to have caused more harm than good which led to Gov. Wike’s outburst on his arrival from Spain at the Port Harcourt International Airport where he accused Atiku of telling “lies” during the interview.

Since he lost out in securing the PDP’s presidential ticket and vice presidential candidacy, Gov. Wike had received a large number of visitors at his home in Port Harcourt, including Governors from the ruling All Progressives Congress.

This has fueled speculations that he may be on his way out of the PDP.

Again, his perceived closeness to the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu has also given rise to rumors that he may eventually work for the victory of Tinubu against his party’s presidential candidate.

In a recent outburst, a former Wike’s ally and former Rivers South East Senator, Lee Meaba criticized Gov. Wike for lining up a majority of “Tinubu men” for project commissioning in the middle of campaigns.

Meaba said, “In the middle of our campaign, you line up Tinubu’s men, why do you line up Tinubu’s men? In the middle of our campaign, you are highlighting APC and Tinubu above our own candidate”.

At the commissioning of legislative quarters in Port Harcourt on Friday, Gov. Wike boasted that he will perform very well in any political party he finds himself in.

“Take me to the Labour Party, YPP anywhere I will perform,” he said.

Speaking at the event, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was the special Guest of Honour made overtures to the Governor to join the APC with certain words that many could interpret as “pregnant”.

In the words of the Speaker, “in politics, there is no permanent friend, there’s no permanent enemy but only permanent interest.

“And this journey that you have started, that you and I know; shall be permanent.”

At the tail end of his speech, the Speaker reiterated his earlier calls by even persuading members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to join Gov. Wike when he makes the move.

Read: Wike Would’ve Been PDP Presidential Candidate, His Friend Betrayed Him — Wamako

He said, “I congratulate the Speaker, Right Honourable Ibani, and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“I believe that when the governor finally chokes them, the members of the State Assembly will be coming with him to where he is destined to be.

“We await you, your Excellency, and very eagerly too. Do not let anybody intimidate you, at the appropriate time you will tell them”.

On Wednesday, at the flag-off of the Illoabuchi-Azikiwe road construction, a former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko appeared to be begging Governor Wike not to leave the party.

He said, “all well-meaning Nigerians, therefore, know that we badly need to unite our nation to be able to effectively confront our security and economic challenges.