2023: ‘Why Wike, allies can’t publicly declare support for Tinubu or Obi’

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But as January 31, 2023, the Rivers governor did not keep his promise of revealing his presidential candidate.

Speaking to Daily Independent on Tuesday, a member of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) said Governor Wike knows that openly backing a candidate aside Atiku may lead to his suspension by the PDP national leadership as it amounts to anti-party activities.

Another source closed to the group said, “Wike and his allies are being careful that if they launch out by announcing a presidential candidate, the party’s hammer may fall on them.

“The party is supreme, and if they announce any other presidential candidate, they will be suspended. Forget all what Wike is saying; he is not bigger than the party. He is just one individual and can be sanctioned.

“Just like the party did recently with respect to Ekiti PDP, aside from suspending the governors, they can also suspend the candidates they are backing for Senate, House of Representatives.

“When Wike made the statement, he never took into cognizance that he can be suspended based on the constitutional provisions of the party. However, a member of the NWC granted an interview recently where he quoted from the PDP constitution that if they announce a presidential candidate aside the party’s flagbearer, they may be sanctioned.

“The truth there is nothing Wike can do if he is sanctioned. The best he can do is to go and challenge it in court and nobody knows where the litigation will end. By the end of the matter, the election would have been over and he and his candidates may lose out.”