Wike, Makinde, Ikpeazu Others Boycott Atiku’s Presidential Campaign Flag Off In Uyo

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and members of his camp have boycotted the official take-off of the presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the party under which they were elected.

The presidential campaign which is underway in Uyo officially takes-off one week after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, opened the 2023 campaign window.

All eyes have been on the Wike camp, with many waiting to see whether they would be part of the kick-off following a series of entreaties from the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, and other influential members of the party.

There was renewed optimism in the past week that peace will reign and Wike and his camp would join the presidential campaign council of the party after the acting Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, led a delegation to the Rivers State to meet with the governor.

Atiku has personally met with Wike in Abuja after earlier failed meetings in the UK.

THE WHISTLER reports that Abia State governor, Okozie Ikpeazu, his counterpart in Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, are all absent from the ongoing campaign in Uyo.

Also, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, former governors of Ekiti, Cross River, Ondo and Gombe states, Ayo Fayose, Donald Duke, Segun Mimiko and Ibrahim Dankwambo have all failed to attend.

Former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana and many other former ministers under the platform of the party have stayed away.

Senators and members of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, including Senator Agom Jarigbe from Cross River State, governorship candidate of the party and senator representing Cross River Central, Sandy Onor, have all reportedly boycotted the rally.

Wike has been very instrumental to Onor’s emergence as senator and governorship candidate. Both were local government chairmen.

Similarly, Jarigbe owes his senatorial victory to Wike who reportedly employed all levers of power to enable him secure victory in court after the bye election threw up Odey as the senatorial candidate in 2020.

However, all the governors from South South zone except Rivers State, are in attendance.

The National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, who has been the source of the crisis in the party, is also in attendance.

The Southern caucus and bigwigs of the party in the North have demanded that Ayu must step down to pave way for a new Chairman from the South West since Atiku is from the North like Ayu.

Ayu and Atiku have so far refused to accede to that demand.

Speaking with THE WHISTLER from the venue of the rally, former Yala Local Government Chairman, Cross River State and member of the National Executive Committee of the party, Sunday Ugor said Atiku and the PDP have learnt to move on without Wike.

“The PDP is a big family. We can’t continue to wait for Wike. This campaign was delayed for a week to allow Wike and his team to participate.

“We can’t wait for them forever. They are free to join us. In fact, we feel they are with us because they haven’t left the party. They have candidates they have interest in to win elections in the platform of the PDP in their states.

“As they campaign for them, they are also campaigning for the PDP presidential candidate and all others,” he said.

He added that “the atmosphere here is agog, it’s going wild. We have hope. PDP is the party to beat. Everyone that matters is here. The crowd is unprecedented,” he said.

Also speaking, Alphonsus Ijakoli, former Councillor in Yache Ward in Yala Local Government of Cross State State and a member of the State Executive Committee of the party said, “I’m happy I’m in Uyo. The Governor has done well. When other parties, especially the ruling APC (All Progressives Congress), will come here to campaign (that’s if they have the mind to), they will be ashamed of themselves.

“The road networks are incredible. The new stadium. The hospitals, recreational centers, schools, industries and the neatness and clean environment in Uyo is like being abroad.”

Asked if the party is missing Wike and his group he said, “They would have been a plus but life goes on. In politics you don’t discountenance anyone but you can’t force everyone.

“I believe they will join up later and we will win,” he declared.