2023: Atiku Recruits James Ibori, David Mark, Peter Odili To Beg Wike, Makinde, Ortom, Others

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has reportedly suspended its presidential campaign rallies.

Naija News understands that the campaign rallies originally scheduled for Kebbi and Zamfara states to take place on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13, 2022 respectively, has been were put on hold. Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his allies – Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State) and others – have called for the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, for balance, equity and fairness, claiming that the party leadership is heavily dominated by the north. Wike also stated that the national chairman promised to step aside once the party’s presidential candidate emerges from the north, stressing that Ayu must resign before he agrees to campaign for Atiku. According to The PUNCH, sources disclosed that the main opposition party was stopping its rallies to return to continue negotiations with the Wike group known as G-5 governors. It was gathered that Atiku has recruited some party chieftains such as former President of the Senate, David Mark, former Rivers State Governor and Wike’s ‘godfather’ Peter Odili and former Delta State governor, James Ibori, to placate the Rivers State Governor on their rift. Speaking on the postponement secretary of the presidential campaign council, former publicity secretary of the PDP and the party’s campaign spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the rally was not postponed or put on hold. “No, no, no, the campaign was not put on hold, It was not suspended,” he said.

Falsehood

Also speaking on the reported postponement, the Director of Strategic Communications of the PDP presidential campaign council, Dele Momodu, debunked stories making the rounds in the media space that the party has suspended its rallies as a result of the rift between Atiku and Wike. Reacting via his verified Instagram handle, Momodu said the stories are falsehood, and that the party is on course with its rallies, and is due to hit Kaduna next. “Absolute falsehood…unlike the APC which is yet to put its act together, our Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council has taken off at supersonic speed…see you soon in Kaduna by God’s grace,” Momodu said.

This article was originally published on Naija News