Supper Wednesday for Nigeria former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the opposition People Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his fierce ticket challenger, Gov Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
The venue is London, the United kingdom in far away Europe. All the major pre independent conferences that gave birth to Nigeria sovereignty all took place in London.
Coincidentally, the new Bristish Prime Minister, Ms Lizz Truss is expected to resume work officially same Wednesday after a Tuesday blessings from the Queen, Elizabeth 2.
The two PDP camps will be meeting to take decision on the conditions advanced before Gov Wike’s camp made up four serving governors, two ex governors and former ranking ministers.
The disparities between PDP’s bannerman, Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state will be brought to the table once again for debate. It is expected that this important meeting will make or mar the PDP’s chances in the 2023 presidential election in which many were favouring to wrest power from the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
It is believed that this scheduled date was agreed upon between the duo to wrap up negotiations before the start of party’s campaigns the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed for September 28th 2022.
The two political giants have been in the midst of the party crisis and only the duo can resolve it as it stands now.
One of the demands of Gov Wike is the removal of Sen. Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the PDP.
The Wike’s camp including Ayu’s own governor, Samuel Ortom of Benue state cited instance where Dr Okwisieze Nwodo had stepped down for his deputy, Alhaji Haliru Muhammed following the emergent of ex President Goodluck Jonathan as the PDP’s candidate in 2011.
The Wike’s argument is hinged on the PDP’s constitution that both the flag bearer and the party’s Chairman can not come from the same region.
Currently, both the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar(Aramawa), the PDP national Chairman, Sen Iyorchia Ayu(Benue) and the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees , Sen Wali Jibrin(Nasarawa), are all from the northern region.
Gov Wike’s camp is also angry with Atiku’s attack agents made of three former governors: Sule Lamido of Jigawa, Babangida Aliyu of Niger and Sen Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna respectively.
Wike who is believe to be under multiple pressure from the ruling APC to support the clamour for a southern Presidency he being part of and the third force group led by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.
Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo was also in London to push for the Obi cause.
On their part, the PPD is not taking Wike’s threat lightly because of the huge financial investment and influence he wield in the party.
It is to Gov Wike’s credit that the PPD maintains a steady opposition even after losing two general elections.
PDP board of trustees boss had acknowledge these tremendous exploit when he admitted that it is unPDP to have it’s three principal leaders all from one region.
He however pleaded that the necessary changes the Wike’s camp were advancing could be effected after the general election as anything else could affect negatively their chances.
On his part, Sen Ayu is insistent on a four year tenure as content in his tenure of office as the national Chairman.
The pressure from both Gov Wike’s supporters, some who are also running various elections as governors and lawmakers are also being wieghed at the London supper Wednesday.
Gov Wike will have to choose alot of options either for his party, his supporters, personal political interest or for Nigeria.
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