PDP BOT Chairman urge Atiku and Wike to end rivalry

The Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Dr. Walid Jibrin, has urged the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s teams to sheath their sword. He said it was important for both politicians’ camps to allow efforts being put in place to resolve the party’s internal crisis materialise. The Board of Trustees chairman made the call in a statement on Thursday. Jibrin noted that it was time both camps see the internal crisis as a “misunderstanding” and not a “problem”.

The statement read, “I wish to call on all members of PDP and all Nigerians to remain calm and never create bad blood and confusion on the state of our party. All efforts are on the ground to reconciliation between Governor Wike, the party, and the presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

“What is happening now should never be categorised as a problem but a misunderstanding within the party. In this period leading to the 2023 elections, we should concentrate on how to win all positions to be contested and seriously adhere to the provision of the party constitution.

“My strong advice is for us to give strong support to the present Reconciliation committee set up to resolve all issues.

Reports say that Wike’s team had given a condition for holding peace talks with Atiku’s representatives on Friday (tomorrow).

Sources in the governor’s team said on Wednesday that Wike’s men would, on getting to the meeting, insist on the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, as a condition for the talks to proceed. It was, however, learnt that Atiku’s delegation had vowed to reject the call for Ayu’s resignation.

It has been reported that the rift between Atiku and Wike started after the governor’s ambition of becoming the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections failed following the emergence of the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as Atiku’s running mate.