The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is scheduled to be held on April 18, and Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike are struggling to have control of the party, especially as the party prepares for its National Convention.
Tension is growing in the PDP over the perception that Wike, a serving Minister in the Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) government, is rumoured to remain in the PDP, allegedly to have control of its National Working Committee (NWC), while he works against it during the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku Abubakar, who contested against Tinubu in 2023, is also rumoured to be planning to contest for the PDP’s presidential ticket in 2027.
The North-central is expected to present its anointed candidate for the position of the party’s National Chairman to NEC on April 18, and those with interest in contesting the position of the National Chairman are former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam and former Minister of Police Affairs, Humphrey Abba. They want to succeed Iyorchia Ayu, who was made to step down.
Stakeholders in the PDP fear that if the party’s structure slips into Wike’s hands, the party would be weakened to pave the way for APC victory, because of his alignment to the APC, and, especially with his APC-bestowed position as minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Pundits posit that Wike’s avowed repeated statements that he would not contest against Tinubu in 2027, indicate that he would also work for the President, and against his party in 2027.
His critics believe his strategy is to seize the PDP’s structure and further weaken the party to ensure an easy ride for the APC presidential candidate in 2027.
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“Wike claims to be in PDP; he has refused to resign officially. But he is working for APC administration. If he is handed over the party’s structure, he will weaken it for the APC to retain power in 2027.
“It is for this reason that there is palpable tension in the party over who will have the upper hand in the battle to control the soul of the party by both camps,” a member of NEC said.
Insinuation has it that the acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Iliya Damagun, has been reluctant to summon the NEC meeting due to the continued intrigues between Atiku and Wike’s camps.
The rivalry between Atiku and Wike was a fallout of the party’s presidential primary and the subsequent selection of the presidential running mate of the party.
Atiku’s refusal to pick Wike as the vice-presidential candidate after defeating him in the presidential primary drove a wedge into their relationship and created cracks in the PDP.
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.
For instance, it was gathered that the National Secretary of the party, Senator Sam Anyanwu; the party’s National Vice Chairman (South), Dan Orbih; the Deputy National Chairman, South, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, among others, are perceived as Wike loyalists.
The governor of Oyo State, Mr. Seyi Makinde, who is also a member of the party’s NEC, is also a close ally of the FCT minister.
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It was learned 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 learned, may call for the suspension of Wike and members of his G-5 governors for alleged anti-party activities.
But reports say that another group is opposed to the suspension of the FCT minister and his allies because any disciplinary action will further polarise and weaken the PDP.
However, it is not certain if Wike will be attending the NEC meeting.
The FCT minister is also engaged in a battle of supremacy with his successor, Governor Sim Fubara over the control of the recently dissolved party’s structure in the state.
The FCT minister’s loyalist, Tony Okocha is the acting Chairman of the Rivers State APC and the minister also wants to control the caretaker committee of the PDP in the state.
But Fubara is said to have vowed that he would resist Wike’s attempt to also control the PDP structure in the state.
In all the PDP states, like in other states, the control of the party structures at the state level is vested in the governors.
It was gathered that the NEC may also look into the situation in Rivers State where 25 members of the state House of Assembly elected on the platform of the PDP defected to the APC allegedly under the instruction of Wike.
The committee will also deliberate on the issue of the next substantive chairman of the party who will replace Ayu.
Ayu resigned in March last year following sustained pressure from the G-5.
THISDAY
