Wike, four other governors shun PDP presidential campaign flag off

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and four of his colleagues shunned the flag off of the party’s 2023 presidential election campaign held in Uyo on Monday.

The party kicked off its campaign for next year’s election at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo with leaders across the country in attendance.

Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwunayi  (Enugu), however stayed away due to the crisis rocking the party.

The five governors and other supporters of Wike had earlier pulled out of the presidential campaign council over the inability of the party to meet their demands.

They had been demanding the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu. According to them, with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar from the North, it was wrong for the party’s national chairman to also come from the same zone.

The rally, however, had other governors, including host, Udom Emmanuel, vice presidential candidate and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri and the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal in attendance.

Other dignitaries present were ex-Vice President, Namadi Sambo, former Senate Presidents: Messrs. David Mark, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim and former PDP chairmen: Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and Prince Uche Secondus.

Speaking at the rally, Atiku said the ruling All Progressives Congress failed Nigerians after promising change in 2015.

“Nigeria said they wanted change, and they voted for change in 2015. What have we seen? What we have seen is poverty, insecurity, lack of jobs and disunity,” he said.

“Our children are no longer going to school. Is that what we want to continue with?

“Today, we have flagged off our campaign to rescue Nigeria from hunger, and poverty and to bring back the unity that we require in this country. Therefore, I want to appeal to all Nigerians by standing today in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, to ask them to vote for PDP.

“If you vote for PDP, it will be a return to prosperity; it will be a return to unity; there will be no more hunger and there will be security.”

Tambuwal who is also the director general of the campaign said the PDP ticket represented a balanced ticket with Nigeria’s unity in mind.

“Our party is on a mission to rescue Nigeria and to restore its value and I believe the other party their candidature is not only against the federal character but against the constitution of Nigeria because it doesn’t reflect the federal character of Nigeria.

“We have a balanced ticket, the ticket of Atiku/Okowa has recognised the plurality and capacity of Nigeria and has respected our character as a nation and our party is presenting forth these two great Nigerians that have the capacity the character the competence to move the country forward.

“From day one they are planning to plant a seed of discord in this country and we must not allow that to happen. We have a balanced ticket, we have a ticket that can rescue Nigeria through its current situation and I appealed to all of you men and women of goodwill to join on this train of Atiku Okowa to rescue Reset and restore Nigeria,” Tambuwal said.