The group of governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike have presented the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar with new conditions he must meet before they can support him in the 2023 general election.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the PDP standard bearer is seriously under pressure to bow to their demands a few days after the flag-off of campaigns by political parties.
The governors in Wike’s camp are made up of those of Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Benue, Samuel Ortom; Oyo, Seyi Makinde, and Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu.
Africa Today News, New York that following a meeting by the governors at the weekend in Enugu, there is renewed tension among leaders of the PDP over the protracted crisis in the opposition party in the run-up to the 2023 general election.
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According to credible sources, the resolve of Wike’s group that the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu must be replaced with a Southerner before they could participate in the PDP presidential campaign is unsettling a lot of party leaders.
He said that well-meaning members of the party were mounting pressure on the PDP standard bearer to succumb to the demands of the G5 governors so the party does not prosecute next year’s election as a divided house.
This comes as the crisis rocking the opposition PDP over recent corruption-related accusations appears to have nosedived, as the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; and deputy national chairman, North, Umar Damagum have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to resign or face legal action.
The threat followed a resolution by the Forum of PDP candidates and aspirants, which passed a vote of no confidence in the three officers.
They’ve also petitioned the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party on the unanimous demand of candidates for the resignation the above-mentioned officers.
The candidates who gathered and held a brainstorming session in Abuja, also alleged that the leadership of the party extorted several aspirants during the congresses, primaries, and national conventions of the party. It claimed after primaries, the leadership swapped the names of candidates with the names of persons who did not win.