Uyo, the capital city of Akwa Ibom State is expected to come alive today as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa flag off their campaign. Already thousands of party faithful and supporters across the country are thronging the state-owned stadium to witness the event.
Multiple sources, however, told Daily Sun, that the flag-off of the campaign has not been without some headache to the party’s leadership which has found it rather herculean to resolve ongoing crisis between Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and some of the governors calling for the replacement of Iyorchia Ayu as a condition for participating in paty’s electioneering.
One source hinted that efforts by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) to resolve the crisis may have hit the rocks as the major gladiators have refused to shift grounds.
“While the group of five PDP governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is insisting that the National chairman, Iyorchia Ayu must be replaced, ahead of the 2023 polls, the latter has continued to insist that he would not resign his position,” the source said.
It was learnt that the peace initiative by the PDP BoT is yet to achieve the desired goal. When our correspondent sought to know if the G5 governors are likely to attend the presidential campaign flag off in Uyo, today, the source said “No, Except there is any sudden change of plan.”
Also, a source close to Ortom said though the Benue State governor showed up at the launch of the autobiography of former PDP chairman, late Solomon Lar, in Abuja last week, he has no plan to participate in Uyo campaign flag off today.
The source said: “I am sure that if Ortom is not attending the Uyo campaign it means the G5 governors may not be attending.”
The opposition party has been enmeshed in crisis following the nomination of Atiku and the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively.
Since then, the Wike camp which include Governors Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu and Seyi Makinde of Benue, Enugu, Abia and Oyo states have continued to insist that the Ayu must be replaced with a Southerner, ahead of the election, to strike a North/ South balance in the PDP, as a condition for reconcilation in the party.
(Courtesy: Daily Sun)
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