The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has set up a committee to pacify and woo the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and some other aggrieved members of the party.
The initiative was instituted by Atiku based on the need to go into the 2023 general elections with a united front.
Reports has that the opposition party has been rocked by crisis following the choice of the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as Atiku’s running mate.
Wike, Okowa and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom had appeared before the screening panel set up by the PDP to nominate a vice-presidential candidate to the PDP presidential flagbearer
Aliyu had in an interview on Channels Tv on Tuesday said that the PDP presidential candidate did not pick Wike as his running mate because he wanted someone that could complement him, rather than one that talks too much like Wike.
But Nwuke, who represented Etche-Omuma federal constituency in the National Assembly, dismissed Aliyu’s criticisms, saying he didn’t understand the difference between politicking and administration.
He argued, “The Wike that this man (Aliyu) is talking about has been chief of staff. As chief of staff, he never went against his principal. He spoke and did not go beyond his brief.
“This same man (Wike) had served as the Minister of Education. While serving as minister he did not also speak out of tune. Of course, he knew who the boss was, he knew what his role was and he played his role.
“And so people should draw a fine line between politicking and administration. They are not the same thing.
“Everybody who knows Wike knows that he is a team player. In trying to help build the PDP he worked with a team of committed PDP people. And together, they were able to bring the PDP from where it was, in defeat to where it is today.”
Efforts to reach the chairman of the River State PDP, Desmond Akawor, and the party’s spokesman, Sydney Gbara, proved abortive as they did not respond to calls
Also, Kelvin Ebiri, the media aide to the Rivers State Governor could not be reached on his mobile phone as of the time of filing this report.
But the Commissioner for Information, Delta State, Charles Aniagwu, in an interview, disclosed that the leaders of PDP were already on the move to pacify aggrieved members.
Meanwhile, political analysts have faulted Atiku’s committee, saying this was not the right direction for reconciliation.
Mr Adekunle Akinola said Atiku erred by allowing the PDP advisory council to interact with Wike and Okowa in the run-up to the selection of his running mate.
Another analyst, Mr Tonye Isokariari, said that the pacification was unnecessary. He noted, “It makes no sense; if I am Wike, I will feel insulted because if he knows he did the right thing he would not have set up a committee to pacify him and people like Wike will not take such an insult. ”
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State says it would shock the PDP and take over the Government House in 2023.
The state APC chairman, Emeka Beke, who disclosed this during an interview with one of our correspondents in Port Harcourt, also said the party would deliver the state for its Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. ,
