By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Director of Campaign and Communications For the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 elections, Chief Dele Momodu, on Wednesday, disclosed that former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, was so sure he would become Nigeria’s president in 2023.
Momodu said Wike was so sure he would scale the first hurdle towards realizing his dream by defeating former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar in the party’s presidential primary election.
According to Momodu, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) hinged his hope on his clout in the party, particularly his influence on some governors. Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine, said this in an Interview with Arise TV, on Wednesday.
He noted that Wike didn’t envisage the defeat experienced during the primary election and his eventual defeat informed his stance on some issues concerning the party.
Momodu stressed that Wike is still reeling from his defeat during the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2022.
“The first issue was thatf he (Wike) lost the primary in 2022 to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and since then, it seems he’s not been able to get over such disappointment,” Momodu said.
”Because Wike was so sure that he was going to get the ticket and he was going to be the next president of Nigeria.
”So, he was pained and that’s natural. Anyone who has ever lost anything in life would always feel very bad. So you can’t hold him for that.
“We expected that as months climbed over months, that he would get over it. But, he never got over it.” Momodu added.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar won the primary election after polling 371 votes to outpace Wike, his closest rival, who secured 237 votes.
Wike and four PDP governors formed the G5 to oppose Atiku’s victory at the 2023 presidential election. The G5 were believed to have contributed to the PDP’s defeat, with the situation further escalating into a prolonged crisis within the party.
Wike would later take a political appointment as Minister under President Tinubu’s administration without officially defecting from the PDP.
On Tuesday, Bala Mohammed, chair of the PDP Governors Forum, declared that the crisis in the party was over. He added that governors of the party, the board of trustees (BoT), and other organs of the party have directed the national working committee (NWC) to revert to status quo.
Speaking on the development, Momodu lauded the forum for addressing the disputes, while advising Wike to “step back from the intensifying party conflicts” for the sake of unity.
“I believe that it is a very good start. If you had asked me this same question this time yesterday, my response would have been different. But I’m happy that, finally, the PDP Governors’ Forum is rising up to its responsibilities,” he said.
Speaking further, the PDP chieftain expressed concern on how Wike faced an unexpected rift with Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers state governor.
Momodu also credited President Bola Tinubu for his role in resolving the situation, urging Wike and Fubara to make amends.
“If I was in the shoes of Nyesom Wike, the moment the president intervened positively, I expected him to step back,” Momodu said.
“I wouldn’t want to use the word ‘instructed them’ because they are adults. He advised them to go back to the status quo and maintain the status quo.”
