By Ben Ogbemudia
The last-minute decision to settle for Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar for the 2023 presidential election did not go down well with nine members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), ThisNigeria learnt over the weekend.

The nine members, in anger, boycotted the unveiling of the Atiku’s running mate last Thursday at the NEC hall of the party national secretariat in Abuja.

The members, who stayed off the brief ceremony, were said to be in their various offices while the unveiling of Okowa lasted.

It was learnt that they later left the secretariat for the residence of the National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih, in the Asokoro axis of Abuja.

Though details of the meeting were not known, those who attended were the National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu; National Vice Chairman (South-South), Orbih; Deputy National Chairman South, Taofeek Arapaja; National Women’s Leader, Stella Effah-Attoe; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba; National Financial Secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro; National Auditor, Okechuckwu Daniel, and two others.

Senate President hails Ekiti State Governor-elect

Also, most PDP governors were absent. They include Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Rivers State Nyesom Wike, Benue’s Sam Ortom, Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; Oyo State, Seyi Makinde Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri; Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Taraba State Darius Ishaku.

One of the NWC members, who craved anonymity, said unless urgent steps were taken to address the impending crisis, the party might run into a constitutional crisis that could cost it the next election.

He said, “Recall that the event was scheduled for noon, but it was delayed to wait for prominent members of the leadership. The National Secretary, Deputy Chairman, South-South, and some NWC members refused to show up at the ceremony even though they were at the Wadata Plaza.

“The PDP governors, apart from Okowa, bluntly refused to grace the occasion, except Governor Godwin Obaseki, Emmanuel Udom, and Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

“The Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed came in late and did not know that what was going on was not the unveiling of the recommended candidate.

“Prominent members of the BoT abstained. The NWC members were insisting that the party’s choice for the office of VP must be honoured and more so as the choice had been communicated to the recommended candidate.

Ekiti Guber Poll: Buhari congratulates Oyebanji,

“They emphasised that there was nowhere in the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act that the national chairman and the presidential candidate have the power to decide for the party who the vice-presidential candidate should be.

“Leaders of the party are calling for an urgent step to redress the situation, otherwise the Party will go into a major crisis that will rob it of victory in the forthcoming election.”

Another party leader added, “Every action Ayu has taken since he came in as National Chairman has been moving towards the direction of destroying the party.”

He urged the party to take steps to address the impending crisis before it gets out of hand.