Updated: Wike group pulls out of Atiku campaign, insists Ayu must resign

Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike’s team in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has pulled out of the campaign Council of the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.

This decision was taken at a meeting early Wednesday morning in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Members of the Rivers State Governor’s team vowed not to play any role in the Atiku’s campaign for the 2023 general elections.

They said the only condition for them to return to the campaign council was for the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, to resign.

Campaigns for the 2023 election are expected to commence exactly a week from now.

Pressure being mounted on Ayu to step down has resulted in Walid Jibrin relinquishing his role as the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman of the opposition party, but Wike’s camp rejected this.

Last week, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, a strong ally of Wike, reiterated the call for Ayu to step down when Atiku visited Oyo to meet with party stakeholders.

Rising from a meeting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday morning, Wike’s loyalists vowed not to partake in Atiku’s campaign activities until Ayu resigns.

Chief Olabode George, who walked out of the meeting where Jibrin’s resignation was announced, read the communique on behalf of the group.

“The published presidential campaign council list translates to putting the cart before horse; the pertinent issue remains the Ayu leadership. We therefore resolve that Senator Iyorchia Ayu resigns as the national chairman for an acting chairman of southern Nigeria extraction. We resolved not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr Iyorchia Ayu,” he said.

Among those who attended the meeting held at Wike’s residence are former Governors Olusegun Mimiko, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Jonah Jang, Ayo Fayose and Donald Duke.

Also in attendance are a former justice minister, Mohammed Adoke; Prof Jerry Gana, former Information Minister; South-South Chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih; and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche.

Many of those who attended the meeting are members of the over 300-man campaign team of the opposition party’s presidential candidate.

On Monday, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State called on the national leadership of the PDP to address the grievances of  Wike, saying dismissing him would portend danger for the party in the 2023 general elections.