The reconciliation moves in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appear to have hit a stumbling block as indication emerged that the two warring camps in the party — the camp of presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and that of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state have failed to reach any compromise in spite of much talks and antics.
This is as a chieftain of the party, Chief Bode George who spoke during an interview session with Channels TV on Wednesday said it appears “some kind of devil” has entered the party.
George who spoke on the crisis that has been bedevilling the party since the conclusion of its presidential primary election in May, appealed to both Wike and Atiku to embrace peace, adding that their ambitions are not greater than the party.
It would be recalled that the crisis began after Wike who contested the presidential ticket lost to Atiku.
The cracks widened after Atiku named Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election.
Since then, the party has been expressing stormy waters and efforts by PDP stakeholders and elders to resolve the crisis have since proved abortive.
Speaking on the matter, George said though the crisis seems to be a concern, PDP has the capacity to resolve all the issues before the 2023 general elections.
He said, “It is a major bother not only for me, it is a bother to a lot of the committed elders and members of the upper chamber of the party. It looks like some kind of devil has entered into the midst of our party,” he said.
“We have the capacity to resolve our crisis; we have enough experienced leaders, committed followers, who will sit and be able to resolve this crisis once and for all.
“Unfortunately we have a month and a week before we commence the campaign, my appeal now is that Governor Wike should cool down, presidential candidate Atiku should also cool down because none of their ambition should be bigger and higher than the ambition of our party. We are appealing to both of them.
“Because there is no organisation anywhere in the world that would not have crisis but the capacity and the ability to handle the resolution of such crisis would be a measure of how developed, reliable or respectable that organisation is.”
Meanwhile, a member of the party who spoke anonymously said the reconciliatory move in the party has hit the rock as Wike’s team demanded for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s National chairman as a condition for holding peace talks with the representatives of Atiku Abubakar.
The source said Wike’s men have insisted that Ayu must resign before they proceed with any talks, a declaration which Atiku’s men have since dismissed as unnecessary.
The source noted that Atiku’s delegation had vowed to reject the call for Ayu’s resignation.
“The panel is empowered to resolve the crisis between Atiku and Wike but that does not mean the governor can push the party around or dictate impossible terms and conditions.
‘’Though, he is important to the PDP, he cannot dictate to the party. So, the various conditions attributed to his camp such as the resignation of the party chairman cannot sail through. Removing the chairman less than eight months to the election is a recipe for defeat and we cannot accept that,” the source stated.
