Many top ranking members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have pulled out of the presidential campaign of Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 candidate of the party.
This development is coming after several efforts to resolve the ongoing rift between the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and Atiku failed.
Recall that both leaders have been at loggerheads over a ‘violation’ of the party’s zoning arrangement between the North and the South.
Wike and his camp are insisting on removal of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu. The Rivers politician maintains that the party chairman and its presidential candidate cannot come from the same region.
On Wednesday morning, Wike and his faction pulled out from Atiku’s campaign; stating that they will not be part of any activities until Ayu is removed. They insisted that the position must come to the south for balance, justice, and equity in the party.
They also resolved that an acting chairman from the south should lead the party on the national campaign, going into the elections.
They made their position known in a resolution read by former deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, after a long meeting held at Governor Wike’s private residence, near Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Below are the names of the governors and ranking chieftains who pulled out of the campaign.
- Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike
- Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde
- Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom
- Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu
- Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
- Ex-Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang
- Ex-Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo
- Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose
- Former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko
- Former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke
- Chief Bode George
- Chief Dan Orbih
- Mohammed Adoke