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A top party source said the PDP National Executive Committee ( NEC) is likely to meet next week to ratify the list of members of the Presidential Campaign Council before it is formally unveiled
The face-off between Wike and Atiku among other reasons, started following the choice of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate on the one hand, and insistence of the Rivers governor’s group on the removal of Ayu, a northerner, as the party’s presidential candidate, to give room for a southern national chairman for fairness, equity and balancing.
Atiku was in London last Thursday to pacify the governor, who had earlier met Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in attendance.
Despite the several moves for truce, including the London meeting, Governor Wike appears resolved to reject any move for reconciliation. Specifically, Wike was quoted to have told top members of his group, including Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia states, that reconciliation was out of the way except certain conditions were met.
The governor was also said to be angry over Atiku’s decision to bring his political foes, including former PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, closer. It was gathered that Wike believed the romance with Secondus and others was a clear demonstration by the former VP that he could work with others in his absence.
In what appeared like erecting further hurdles in the way of any reconciliation, the governor came up with a six-point demand at their London meeting. Part of the conditions was that Wike wanted the party to allow him to nominate Ayu’s replacement, a signed commitment from Atiku to serve out only one term and that he (Wike) be allowed to also nominate principal officers of the National Assembly and some ministers if PDP wins the 2023 presidential election.
