By Olusegun Olanrewaju, Tobi Adebayo (Lagos) and Ben Ogbemudia (Abuja)
Far from abating as claimed in some columns in its ranks, the crisis pervading the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be festering by the day.

Drama ensued when members of the southern wing of the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP, staged a walkout on the party’s embattled national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, over his refusal to resign from office as required by some forces.

The meeting turned out to be another day of long knives as southern members of the committee led by the party’s deputy national chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, walked out on Ayu during the meeting that commenced shortly after noon.

It was learnt that the walkout was a result of Ayu offering to step down for a committee of the whole NWC, to be led by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, in the quest to make peace between the party’s presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

It was also gathered that some members of the NWC blamed Ayu for escalating the party crisis with his provocative actions/comments.

The meeting came to an abrupt end shortly after the walkout.

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*Cloudy reconciliation

As the gale of disagreement is sweeping through the PDP, the woes of the party’s standard bearer in the 2023 poll appear to be compounding.

ThisNigeria reported that 17 governorship candidates of the party had paid a visit to Wike at his Port Harcourt residence on Tuesday evening, a move that is not patronising to pro-Atiku forces.

The meeting, it was learnt, was part of efforts to resolve the crisis between the Rivers State governor and Atiku.

The visitors claimed that they visited the governor behind closed doors, as part of their contribution to the reconciliatory moves initiated by the party’s leadership to end the internal crisis in the party.

But it was gathered that, apart from looking for a solution to the crisis plaguing the party, the governorship hopefuls said they were also worried about their chances to win the forthcoming election in their respective states.

However, rather than mellowing down the dramatic events threatening the PDP’s chances at the coming polls, it was gathered that the parley ended on a controversial note.

However, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the PDP governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isa Muhammed, said they decided to visit Wike, having previously heard from the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and that the meeting ended on a good note.

But it was learnt that Wike took exception to the outcome, insisting that the visitors were not in any position to resolve the crisis.

He, therefore, referred them back to the NWC of the party.

Describing their deliberation with Wike as fruitful, Muhammed said they would present all the issues to the NWC to decide on the matters and possibly come up with a solution.

“The talks were fruitful, open discussions with sincerity and we are home and dry. We discuss issues that border on the situation within the party and internal matters are not something you should look for details.

“We have discussed with the presidential candidate and we are here with our brother and friend and issues that border on what is happening have been sorted out.

“The issues have been resolved as far as I am concerned because we have heard from both sides. And we are going to meet with the National Working Committee to make a decision,” he added.

*Day of reckoning coming -Wike
Meanwhile, taking a different trajectory on the outcome, Wike gave a hint that the coast was not yet clear for peace in the party’s fold.

Rather, he said the time of reckoning is coming “for those who continue to insist that they can take everything to themselves in the PDP.”

PDP crisis: Southern NWC members insist on Ayu’s resignation, stage walkout

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said Wike maintained that nobody can silence him from speaking against such injustice and the demand for the right thing to be done.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Emohua campus of Rivers State University, and the flag-off of staff quarters, performed by Wike’s soul-mate in the party, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, said such persons “will account for every wrong thing that they have done when the day of reckoning comes.”

He added, “That is why I am telling the people there, look, it cannot work. You can’t take everything. If you take everything, it will purge you. So, better do the right thing now.

“Don’t sit there and think that you can muscle me and you can do everything, you can manipulate anything. You can think you have the number to make sure you take everything, but the time is coming when you will account for it.”

Wike insisted that the delivery of quality projects by him and his fellow governors would serve the PDP well in their respective states.
According to him, it will be erroneous for PDP states that have failed to provide good governance to solicit votes from the electorate.

“If any PDP State is not doing well, don’t think you will be voted for because APC is not doing well. If in PDP state, for example, if in Rivers State we didn’t do well, then you’ll say because APC did not do well at the national level, then the people will vote for us. They’ll tell you PDP you didn’t do well in Rivers State.

“People don’t understand that. And that is why the party should respect us and know that we are the ones campaigning for the party. Because we have what to use to campaign.”

*Many aspirants absent as Atiku meets PDP presidential aspirants

Meanwhile, many aspirants were conspicuously absent yesterday when the presidential candidate of the PDP met the aspirants that contested the primaries with him at his Asokoro residence in Abuja.

In attendance at the meeting Dele Momodu, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, Tari Oliver, and Charles Ugwu.

Atiku commended those who came for accepting the outcome of the convention that produced him as the PDP flag bearer, ‘and for not raising the dust’.

He promised to work with all of them ahead of the 2023 general elections, adding that they have various roles to play in his victory at the polls.

At the primary in May, Atiku polled 371 to defeat his closest rival, Wike, who polled 237 votes.

Following the outcome of the primary, Wike has been at loggerheads with Atiku over his choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.

Wike has also demanded the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, for a southern replacement.