Atiku’s Loyalists Move Against PDP Chairman, Damagum Over ‘Romance’ With Wike

Loyalists of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, are reportedly at loggerheads with acting National Chairman, Umar Ililya Damagum, over alleged romance with the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Naija News understands that opposition party chieftains loyal to Atiku are unhappy with Damagum for allegedly working and hobnobbing with Wike, who worked against the presidential ambition of the former Vice President.

According to TheCable, some of Atiku’s biggest loyalists include former Governor of Jigawa, Sule Lamido; former governor of Niger, Babangida Aliyu, and former Minister, Adamu Maina Waziri, among others.

The publication stated that the PDP stalwarts who moved against Damagum, are also allegedly working against Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa state over their alleged romance with Wike.

The Atiku loyalists also alleged that Damagum “mismanaged” the funds he inherited from the Ayu-led national working committee (NWC), an allegation he immediately denied.

However, it was learned that some Atiku’s loyalists have also been reaching out to Wike to help with the party’s election cases at the tribunals across the country.

Recall that Wike led a group of five PDP governors that rebelled against Atiku, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.

Atiku lost the election to Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and is currently in court to challenge the outcome.

The rebellion led by Wike is believed to have contributed to Atiku’s loss and Tinubu has now named Wike in his cabinet in what would further worsen the internal crisis in the PDP.