All seems to be well in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the failure of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to appease Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State after sidetracking him in the race for his running mate.
Governor Sam Ortom of Benue State gave the indication on Wednesday as he accused party leadership and the presidential flag bearer of disrespecting the first runners-up in the PDP presidential primary.
Speaking in a live interview with Arise Television, the Benue Governor who chaired the committee set up by Atiku to help him arrive at a suitable running mate, revealed that rather than go to Wike in person, Atiku and the party leadership were trying to talk to him over the phone.
He recalled that 14 out of the 17 members of the committee had recommended Wike for the position of vice-presidential candidate but the recommendation was jettisoned by Atiku in favour of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
Ortom said despite the humiliation of the Rivers governor, they had done nothing to appease him to get him to support the PDP.
He also recalled how Wike had sustained the main opposition party when other prominent members deserted it after it lost power in 2015.
Ortom told the television station: “My friend Governor Wike deserves a vacation after the trauma that he went through. Some of us believe that he has the capacity and the charisma to lead this country from bottom to top compared to what has been happening.
“We have been taken in 2014 when this present administration came in, we have been taken from top to bottom. So, we thought that he has the capacity and the charisma. Unfortunately, Nigerians or the PDP people did not give him the opportunity.
“Some of us rooted for him, I was amongst the 17-member committee that was set up by the candidate himself and the party of the PDP. And some of us said that, for the vice presidency, for those of us in PDP, we needed Wike to be the vice president so that he can bridge the gap.
“When we said it in our meeting, we said that, look, it doesn’t matter whether he supported the presidential candidate or not, but all that we’re looking for is unity, and how we can make this work.
“Unfortunately, it was said that it is Governor Okowa, who is also a PDP member today. That is the wisdom of the presidential candidate.
“Some of us, I want to tell you that I have resorted back to prayers because I’m really confused because I felt that Wike would have been the vice president after losing as the presidency. He was the second person to Atiku. Wike has the charisma. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. All of us have our weaknesses, we can be something. But when it comes to mobilization and impact, value addition, or reaching out or making sure that a party works, Wike is an instrument. Wike is somebody who stood for the party, making sure that things work.
“So, for some of us, we believed in that, unfortunately, it was somebody else. It doesn’t matter. The party is supreme.”
On whether he will support the presidential Aiku, he said: “I told you that I am praying. I’ve gone into hibernation. And I’m praying, I’m fasting. I’m praying. So if God directs me, as He has always done, if God directs me that as your support Atiku, why should I not do it?
“After all, he’s my party man, but I’m waiting for him. There is more that is expected.
“I expect him to do, I’ll expect him to reach out to Wike who came second and denied him the popular view of PDP members. 14 out of 17 said that Wike should be the VP. in his wisdom, he chose that it should be Governor Okowa. Okowa is a nice man, he is my friend and I have no problem with him. But if we’re in a democratic era, 14 people at 17 said that issue be Wike and he in his wisdom gave it to Okowa, I expect more explanation. I expect him to talk to Wike first that we’re supporting. I expect him to even reach out to some of us so that together, we can work as a party.
“So, but the bottom line is that for me, I’ve gone into hibernation and I’m praying and at the end, whatever God directs me, I can assure you that I will do it.”
Meanwhile, the Centre for Integrity and Good Governance (CIGG) has said that the choice of who becomes his running mate is the constitutional prerogative of Atiku.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Lagos by its Convener, Mr Waheed Aderibigbe and Co-convener, Mr Obinna Ukariaku, it said that it was shocking that some Nigerians would jettison the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic and choose to play to the gallery or even base their argument on emotional sentiments.
The CIGG, which noted that one of its goals is to promote democratic and electoral literacy, explained that the most any political party can do are to present names of probable candidates to a standard-bearer from which he or she can pick the vice-presidential candidate of his or her choice.
It cited Section 142 (1) of the 1999 constitution as amended which states: “In any election to which the foregoing provisions of this Part of this Chapter relate, a candidate for an election to the office of President shall not be deemed to be validly nominated unless he nominates another candidate as his associate from the same political party for his running for the office of President, who is to occupy the office of Vice-President and that candidate shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office of Vice-President if the candidate for an election to the office of President, who nominated him as such associate is duly elected as President in accordance with the provisions aforesaid.”
The group said Atiku in fidelity to the extant law exercised this power and privilege that the constitution vested in him, stressing that any input from the party stakeholders including the National Working Committee, the Board of Trustees (BoT), elders of the party, among others, is advisory.
The Centre faulted the comments of the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, who said the party would have picked Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers as Atiku’s running mate.
The statement reads in part: “Atiku Abubakar has shown respect for the rule of law by following the provision of Section 142 (1) of the 1999 constitution as amended in choosing his running mate. He should be applauded for abiding by the law and making his choice as demanded by the constitution.
“The input or suggestion from any of the stakeholders in his party remains advisory, the onus to finally pick one person out of many rests on the candidate, not the party,” the statement said.
The PDP leadership had set up a committee with the mandate of nominating and submitting three names of probable candidates for the position of running mate to Atiku.
Contrary to claims of voting by members of the committee, the party had explained that the brief given to the committee did not include voting, but to nominate three names which would be forwarded to the standard-bearer to choose from.
The PDP has also debunked speculation that its National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, has been “suspended over allegations of misappropriation.”
This followed a report, which made the rounds in the social space on Wednesday
The report had also claimed that the Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Umar Damagun, had been appointed in his place in an acting capacity.
However, the PDP dismissed the suggestion in a statement issued by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, its National Publicity Secretary, urged the public to disregard the report.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a fictitious report being circulated in a section of the social media suggesting that the National Chairman of our great Party, His Excellency, Sen. Dr Iyorchia Ayu has been suspended by the NWC.
“Such report is completely false and a product of the imagination of mischief-makers with the intent to destabilize our Party, create an impression of crisis within our ranks and mislead the unsuspecting members of the public.
“It is clear that the false report is the handiwork of vicious anti-people forces who are agitated by the stability, unity and soaring popularity of our Party under the cohesive Sen. Dr Ayu-led National Working Committee as well as the intimidating statures of our Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar and His Excellency, Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa respectively.
“For clarity, our National Chairman, Sen. Dr Iyorchia Ayu is on a short vacation outside of the country and he officially transmitted power to the Deputy National Chairman (North), His Excellency Amb. Umar Iliya Damagum, to perform his duties in Acting Capacity, pending his return, is in line with the provision of the Constitution of the PDP 2017 (as amended).
“It is instructive to state that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was duly informed of the absence of our National Chairman and that Amb. Damagun will be performing the duties of the National Chairman in Acting Capacity pending Sen. Dr Ayu’s return.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP and the NWC are united and Sen. Dr Iyorchia Ayu remains the National Chairman.
“The NWC, therefore, urges all members of our great Party, our teeming supporters, the media and the general public to disregard the said report as FAKE NEWS.”
Credit: Nigerian Tribune