There is palpable between Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister and Atiku Abubakar a former Vice-President of Nigeria, over the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party. The running battle which started over a few years ago will not end anytime soon, as both Atiku and Wike are set for another battle over what should or what shouldn’t be, concerning the party.
Wike has always maintained that he will remain in the party no matter the circumstances. Wike, during the last election was quoted to have attacked Atiku.“Did they remain to fight inside the party? But we remained; they ran away. Now, there is a fight in the party, we will not run. We will fight it in this party. Those who run away from fights are weak people. We will not. So, everybody should know this is the state where we are, so that nobody tells you all kind of stories”.
Ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled for April 18, there is palpable tension over the battle for the control of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) by the camps of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, investigation has revealed.
The tension emanated from revelations that Wike will remain in the PDP and work for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election, while Atiku will contest for the PDP’s presidential ticket. This has become a big headache to many PDP top members and they are very uncomfortable with such situation. They said his presence as a PDP member is to cause disruption in the party.
Newsmen gathered that the NWC led by the acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagun, had been reluctant to summon the NEC meeting due to the continued intrigues between Atiku and Wike’s camps.
The rivalry between the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election and the former Rivers State Governor was a fallout of the party’s presidential primary and the subsequent selection of the presidential running mate of the party. Wike consequently worked against the election of the former vice president by throwing his support behind the then-candidate of the APC, Tinubu. Wike is strongly believed to be nursing the ambition of controlling the party’s affairs despite working for the APC administration. The former Rivers State governor still retains the loyalty of key members of the NEC and the NWC who are likely to do his bidding.
It was learnt that the presence of Wike’s supporters in the strategic decision-making organs of the PDP was one of the reasons the NWC has been unable to act on his alleged anti-party activities, which the NEC is likely going to consider. There were indications that pressure was mounting on the NWC not to call the NEC meeting earlier because of the fear that it could play into the hands of Wike. Atiku, who has been out of the country, has now returned ostensibly, to prepare for the showdown ahead of the NEC meeting.
One of the issues being raised by Atiku’s camp against the FCT minister was his alleged anti-party activities.
They view his role in the PDP as very suspicious and is also being perceived by his critics in the party as a mole. Wike has severally claimed that he accepted the ministerial position in the APC government with the knowledge of the members of the NWC of the PDP. The Atiku’s camp, it was learnt, may call for the suspension of Wike and members of his G-5 governors for alleged anti-party activities.
