The Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Chimaroke Nnamani, has faulted the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to sideline the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and four other governors, as the party commenced its presidential campaign in Uyo on Monday.
He noted that without the input of the five governors, it would be difficult for their states to be delivered to the PDP in the forthcoming 2023 elections.
The New Diplomat reports that Wike and his counterparts, which include Governor Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Governor Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Governor Ikpeazu Okezie (Abia State), Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, former Cross Rivers State Governor, Donald Duke and other top party chieftains were absent at the official commencement of the presidential campaign held at the Nest of Champions International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
Nnamani, in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, said without the involvement of the governors that are leaders, others trying to usurp them are mere cheerleaders and feel-good political operatives that cannot deliver.
The statement titled ‘2023 PDP Presidential Campaigns: Ignoring Five Governors, Discouraging – Sen Nnamani reads;
“Today, I go on record in total condemnation of the treatment of the five governors mostly from the southern states within the PDP. The governors are our leaders and their humiliation rubs off on all of us.”
Nnamani recalled that state governors were not treated with ignominy during his days.
He cautioned against erecting parallel structures in the five governors’ states, stressing that “politics is local and the folks from these affected states parading with the PDP leadership will not deliver their polling booths without the governors.
“Without the involvement of the governors that are our leaders, these mere cheerleaders and feel-good political operatives cannot deliver.
“They can drag themselves from their home states to Abuja. Some are Abuja permanent residents. They dress the meetings and colour the rallies, but that is what it is, political colour dressing.’’
It would be recalled that Wike and his allies dubbed the G-5 have remained resolute in their demands that the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, must vacate office for the position to move to the South which will, in turn, pave the way for genuine reconciliation to take place.
Their demands were rejected by Ayu and those loyal to him. Ayu’s loyalists made it known their principal will only resign from this position when their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar is sworn in as the President of Nigeria.
This degenerated into a full-blown crisis as several southern chieftains of the party pulled out of the campaign council of the party.
