Atiku: Wike Is Not My Governor But We Are In Alliance – Oyo PDP Chairman Speaks On Party Crisis

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Dayo Ogungbenro has shared his views about the current internal crisis rocking the major opposition party ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Asked about the position of the Oyo State chapter of the PDP on the insistence of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his allies that Iyorchia Ayu must resign as a condition for supporting the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar, Ogungbenro replied that though Wike is not his Governor, they are in agreement on his stand.

He went further to state that Governor Seyi Makinde is his leader and shares the same view about the insistence and position of Wike.

Naija News reports the PDP Chairman in Oyo made this stand known while answering questions during an interview with Punch.

He said the demand for Ayu’s resignation for him to be replaced with a southerner is about justice and fairness, adding that it is not about Atiku himself while the issue about his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa has been resolved already.

According to him, they have no apology for their stand, position, and demands.

He said: “The Rivers State governor is not my governor, but I want to tell you that the PDP in Oyo State that I am privileged to head is in complete alliance with our principal, the leader of the party in the South-West geopolitical zone, that is Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde.

“There are two fundamental issues; one, the southerners were yearning for the presidency and our principal decided to align with his people, that is the South. We have no apology for that.

“The position of Governor Wike and my principal is that the agreement that Ayu would step aside if a northerner emerges a presidential candidate must be honoured, but he refused. Now, we have Baba of the Atiku as the presidential candidate, Ayu as national chairman, Tambuwal as the director-general campaign.

They are all northerners. We have no issue with Atiku, the issue with (Ifeanyi) Okowa is already a foregone conclusion, but what about the unwritten agreement that if a northerner emerges as presidential candidate, Ayu will resign?”

Resignation Of Walid Jibrin Not Enough

Speaking further, Ogungbenro said the resignation of Walid Jibrin as the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman does not address their demands and does not resolve the issue in the party.

“That’s not enough, It’s just a tactic that they think they can use on us. They thought they could divide us,” he said.

Atiku Should Do The Needful

The PDP chairman also knocked Atiku for kicking off his presidential campaigns without first resolving the issues with the aggrieved Governors.

He said Atiku and his people can’t go alone and win the 2023 polls without the support of the aggrieved Governors.

Ogungbenro said: “Shouldn’t they know that, given the calibre of the person that Atiku is in Nigeria? Do we have to tell him to do the needful before resuming campaign? Maybe they thought they could do it all alone. If we are saying we want to reform Nigeria, why can’t we reform our own political party first? The PDP in Oyo State completely aligns with this because wherever our leader is going, we are definitely going there.”

PDP Can’t Sanction Wike, Makinde, Others

The PDP state chairman argued further that the PDP can’t sanction Wike and the other Governors over their stand but if they should get sanctioned, appropriate steps would be taken.

“Two plus two in politics is not equal to four. I am not concerned. It’s just a mere political statement,” adding that “Why can’t you wait until we get to that bridge? (possible sanction) If we get to that bridge then we will know how to cross it.”