By Jude Opara, Abuja

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to be over as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has insisted that the only minimum requirement for a truce was the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyochia Ayu.

This is as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party rose from its 97th meeting on Thursday to pass a vote of confidence on the National Chairman.

It could be recalled that Governor Wike had shortly after losing out of the presidential primary of the PDP demanded that Ayu, a former Senate President step aside from his position as the leader of the main opposition party.

Wike had argued that most of the prime offices of the party were held by northerners; adding the Ayu had on assumptions of office promised to resign his position should the North also produce the presidential candidate of the party.

Probably, to assuage the aggrieved members, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Sen Wahid Jibrin announced his resignation from that position to pave the way for a southerner to take over.

Already, former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara has been named as the new BoT boss, but that seems not enough to placate Wike who in a swift reaction said Ayu must vacate his plum position for peace to reign.

But contrary to the expectation of Wike and his supporters, the Nth in passing the vote of confidence on the  Ayu led National Working Committee (NWC) said they were satisfied with the way they have handled the affairs of the party.

The motion for the vote of confidence was raised by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu during the party 97 NEC meeting in Abuja.

Elumelu said that the NWC members deserved a vote of confidence because having led the party to victory in the July 16 Osun governorship election and other achievements that had made for the party, he was convinced they will equally deliver the country to the party.

“I moved this day Sept. 8 that a vote of confidence be put before the end of this for their doggedness, their forthrightness, and their professionalism most especially been given us as Osun State

“I believe by extension they will give us Nigeria come 2023. I so move,” Elumelu said.

The motion was seconded by a member of the NEC from Kwara State, Ishola Balogun Fulani, which was unanimously adopted by NEC members present at the meeting.

On Wednesday, the efforts of some concerned PDP stakeholders to end the feud between Wike and the leadership of the party continued with 17 PDP governorship candidates who had met with the angry governor in Port Harcourt; but they were told by the governor that the matter was beyond them but with the NEC of the party to resolve.

Also speaking at a function in Ahoada, Rivers state on Thursday, Wike said it was unfortunate that the party leadership including the candidate, Atiku Abubakar of being economical with the truth that he wants to destroy the party.

He said that after the primary, Atiku told him that he understands his position and that he supports that the national Chairman should come from the South now that the presidential candidate has emanated from the North.

“We had a gentleman’s agreement that the national chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, will resign immediately after the primary since he won. The resignation of the BoT chairman of the PDP, Walid Jibrin, will not stop his demand for the resignation of Ayu; since the north has got the presidential ticket, they should not hold on to the position of the National Chairman”.

Iyochair Ayu was quoted to have said he would step doe as national Chairman if the North produced the party’s presidential candidate.

Jibrin Resigns as PDP BoT Chairman, Wabara Takes over

The crisis rocking the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist on Thursday with the immediate resigning of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Sen. Walid Jibrin.

In his place, the erstwhile Secretary of the BoT and former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara was elevated to take his position. 

Jibrin, who announced the resignation during the board’s meeting in Abuja, Thursday said his decision was in the interest of the party and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of 2023 general elections.

Jibrin said; “All we want is to make sure that Atiku becomes the president of Nigeria by all means. That is why I decided that me Sen. Walid Jibril, I am stepping down from the BoT.

“I discussed this with the candidate and he agreed with me. If the party wins I will be given a bigger position,” Jibril said.

The decision of Jibril was however greeted with wide and ovation during the party’s 97th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which held immediately after the BoT meeting.

The embattled National Chairman of the PDP, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu while announcing Jibrin’s decision to NEC members said the former BoT chairman as a foundation member had served the party meritoriously over the years

Ayu said; “We want to, on behalf of the party specially thank him for all his services over the years, which culminated in his being secretary of the BoT and ultimately the National Chairman of the board.

He asked all NEC members for a standing ovation for Jibrin.

On his part, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar appreciated Jibrin’s sense of patriotism and service to the party, while Wabara said that Jibrin by his action had demonstrated that the BOT is truly the conscience of the PDP.

The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Gov. Tambuwal of Sokoto State, also thanked Jibrin for his show of commitment and sacrifices to the success of the party.

It could be recalled that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has kicked againt the situation where all the leaders of the party including the National Chairman, the presidential candidate and the Chairman of the BoT were from the Northern part of the country.

Jibrin’s Resignation, a Distraction – Wike

Meanwhile Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers yesterday declared that the resignation of the the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Sen. Walid Jubrin was a distraction.

Wike who made the remark at Ahoada on Thursday described it as charade.

Jubrin who resigned his position earlier in the day said that his resignation was to ensure the victory of the party at the 2023 general election.

However, the Rivers governor said the current hierarchy of the PDP leadership was against the constitution of the party.

He said that a situation where the North held the presidential ticket and the national chairman position at the same time was a gross injustice to the South.

According to him, the current hierarchy of the PDP does not give room for the interest of the south, particularly when decisions were to be taken.

Wike said PDP national chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu had earlier promised that if its presidential candidate came from the north, he would resign after the party convention to give way for a chairman from the south.

He claimed that Ayu made the pledge both in the house of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed and at the PDP Senate Caucus meeting.

Wike added that the the party’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar also told him after the convention that Ayu would resign.

He then challenged Atiku to implement what he said, adding, ‘’it is nothing to do with Wike; it has to do with integrity.

‘’This is what he told me; I challenge the presidential candidate to deny this.

‘’If he denies it, I will go further to say so many things to Nigerians because enough is enough; we can’t continue this way.”

He described as erroneous, the belief in some quarters that he was bent on destroying the party and stated that he was only calling for justice and equity.

According to him, we have finished the presidential primaries; it is over. So, when people say you want to destroy the party because you didn’t win primary, I think they’re sick.

‘’Wike is not causing problem, Wike is bringing peace to this country, Wike is advocating for justice, Wike is advocating for equity, Wike is advocating for development,’’ the governor added.

He, however, said he would sustain the fight for a return to healthy party structure to allow for an even representation of the interest of the north and south in the national leadership of the party 

PDP Reacts:

The party Through Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary in a communique issued at the end of the 97th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the  party, held Thursday, September 8, 2022 at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja reacted to the devements.

According to Ologunagba, the  NEC of the PDP at its 97th meeting extensively deliberated on issues of urgent national importance as well as the preparation for the 2023 general elections and resolved as follows:

1.  NEC unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Sen. Dr. Iyorchia Ayu for effectively managing the affairs of the Party and restated its confidence in the NWC to lead the PDP to victory in the 2023 general elections.

2.   NEC received and accepted the resignation of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Sen. Walid Jibrin and accepted the nomination of Sen. Adolphus Wabara, the Secretary of the BoT, as Acting Chairman of the BoT.

3.    NEC thanked Sen. Jibrin for his loyalty and commitment towards the unity, stability and success of the Party at all times and urged him not to relent in his service to the Party and the Nation at large.

4.   NEC congratulated the Party as well as the Osun State Governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke for our victory in the July 16, 2022 Osun Governorship election 

5. NEC commended the NWC, the Board of Trustees, PDP Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucus, Zonal and State Caucuses, other leaders, critical stakeholders and all organs of the Party for the successful conduct of the 2022 National Convention as well as all primaries for the election of our candidates for the 2023 General Elections.

6. NEC unanimously ratified the list of candidates of the PDP as submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the NWC.

7.   NEC congratulated H.E Atiku Abubakar and H.E Ifeanyi Okowa on their emergence as Presidential and the Vice Presidential Candidates of the PDP for the 2023 Presidential election, respectively.

8.   NEC also congratulated all the Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly Candidates of the PDP for their emergence as flagbearers of our Party at various levels.

9.   NEC commended all leaders, members, critical stakeholders and supporters of our Party across the country for their continued steadfastness in the PDP’s mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation from the nightmarish misrule of the failed APC.

State of The Nation:

10.     NEC strongly decried the worsening state of the nation’s economy   with attendant excruciating hardship occasioned by the corruption, insensitivity, incompetence and harsh economic policies of the inhumane and vicious APC.

11.     NEC is also appalled by the worsening insecurity in the country occasioned by the obvious complicity of the APC administration which continues to condone and enable acts of terrorism in various parts of the country.

12.   NEC lamented the failure of the APC government to address the industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). NEC lamented that the APC is relishing the agony, pain and suffering of parents and students in Nigerian public universities due to the prolonged strike action.

13.   NEC condemned the constant display of arrogance by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu in handling the issue of ASUU strike and called for a more constructive engagement by stakeholders to resolve the matter. 

14.    NEC also condemned in the strongest terms the appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari of card-carrying members of the APC as INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). 

This unpatriotic act is a brazen plot by the APC to manipulate and rig the 2023 general elections against the Will of Nigerians. The PDP demands that President Buhari immediately withdraws the APC members nominated as RECs, failure of which has the capacity to trigger serious political crisis that can threaten the 2023 general elections and derail our democratic process

Campaign Structure 

15.   NEC approved a unified campaign Structures across the country for the PDP for the 2023 general elections which will focus more on the grass root.

16. NEC approved the proposed Structure and organogram of the  National Campaign Council as well as the National Campaign Management Council for the 2023 general elections.

17.  NEC also approved the Structures for Campaign Councils at the States, Local Government, Ward and Unit levels. 

18. NEC unanimously empowered the NWC to modify and adjust the structures of the Campaign Councils as and when the need arises.

19. NEC received and approved the proposed structure for Zonal Reconciliation Committees to be set up to ensure that our Party presents a common front ahead of the 2023 general elections.

20. NEC also received and approved the composition of the Manifesto Review Committee to review the Manifesto of the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.  

21. NEC charged Nigerians to remain united in rallying towards the success of the PDP at the 2023 general elections and start the onerous task of rescuing and rebuilding our nation.