Atiku: PDP NWC Takes Fresh Move ‘Against’ Wike Ahead Of February 2023 Election

The National Workin Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, ahead of the forthcoming 2023 general elections, made some moves against the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Naija News learnt a mild drama occurred yesterday at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt after the PDP NWC applied to take over the cases filed against opposition parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the state chapter of the PDP.

Recall that Governor Wike is leading a group of aggrieved PDP governors who have shown rejection for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The PDP chieftains are demanding the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, as a condition for them to back Atiku in the forthcoming election.

Atiku and the party leadership, however, have refused to listen to the governors who have tagged themselves as the G-5, also as the Integrity group.

However, in a fresh move interpreted to be targeted at Wike, a letter read out in court on Monday quoted the PDP NWC asking Emmanuel Ukala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria hired by the Rivers chapter of PDP, to allow another lawyer identified as Johnson Usman to take over the appeal it filed against the Accord and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP NWC also asked Ukala to hand off from further representation in an appeal against APC, National Assembly Candidates by the Rivers chapter of the party.

Naija News understands that none of the counsels in court, however, opposed the decision of PDP NWC. Therefore, the three-man appeal panel led by Justice Joseph Ikyegh granted the request and adjourned until the 3rd of February 2023, following a request by the new PDP counsel.

Counsel to the Accord, Muhammad Abdullahi, expressed the readiness of the party to meet the PDP in Court.

According to reports, the new counsel of PDP, Johnson Usman, confirmed that he had been instructed by the national legal Adviser of PDP to take over the appeals, which is the reason for applying for a short, adjourned date.

Speculations are that the development was another extension of the fallout between Governor Wike and the national leadership of PDP ahead of the forthcoming elections.