As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) awaits the Supreme Court verdict on the 2023 presidential election, the tussle for leadership of the has begun amid realignment of power brokers within.
Checks by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that the while the pro-Atiku Abubakar group are pushing to seize control of the party, the group loyal to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike is also scheming to take the reins of the party.
It was learnt that the dilemma before the party is the search for a national chairman who can balance the interests within and enhance the fortunes of the party.
This comes as the prospect of a mini convention after the Supreme Court verdict is being discussed in some quarters.
The convention which is being projected to re-access the party’s fortunes after the 2023 polls might see the change of leadership.
It was further learnt that the recent visit of former president of the senate, Abubakar Saraki, to Wike was linked to the search for a consensus.
Wike and Saraki lost last year’s PDP presidential primary to Atiku.
However, Wike and four other governors worked for President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) instead of Atiku during the election after their demand that a national chairman from the South should replace Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
Wike was however later to be rewarded with the FCT ministerial appointment.
Saraki was appointed into the PDP/Atiku’s campaign team.
A party source said despite calls for Wike’s sanction for working with the ruling party, the former governor’s group has insisted that they will not leave the party.
The source said the group had resolved to retain their influence in the party.
“One of the ways to do so is to be part of the power groups that will determine the future of the party by influencing who leads the party from next year,” the source said.
He added that the Wike and Saraki meeting was against the backdrop of the need by the camps to forge an understanding ahead of the tussle for party leadership.
“Failure to do this will lead to the emergence of a hostile chairman who may move against them. They know Saraki as a reconciliatory man, a bridge builder, somebody they can trust to be neutral and have the capacity and resources to rebuild the party.
“The meeting is the first step the Wike group is making. More governors and senators in the group will openly canvass support for Saraki and even visit. Many have silently visited him,” the source added.
When asked, another source close to the former senate president who pleaded not to be named, said he had not made up his mind on the chairmanship yet.
“His position is that we should wait till after the Supreme Court verdict on the Atiku case. Either way the case goes, the next assignment for the PDP is resolving leadership issues and reconciliation,” he said.
Credit: Leadership