The crisis over the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to fester as things appear to be falling apart for the opposition party.
Recall that earlier in June, the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar picked Okowa as his running mate against the recommendation of the committee set up to recommend a vice-presidential candidate for him. The committee, according to multiple reports, recommended Governor Nyesom Wike, of Rivers State, as Atiku’s running mate; however, the former Vice-President decided to go for Okowa.
The development thereafter generated acrimony and disagreement among party leaders as some of them called for the removal of the national chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
On Wednesday, there were speculations that Ayu has been removed and that Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Umar Damagum, has been appointed as acting national chairman of the party. But in a swift reaction, Dr. Ayu, through his Special Adviser, Simon Imobo-Tswam, said he is still in charge, adding that the report on his removal was mischievous.
Despite the denial, the presence of only two out of 13 governors of the party at the inauguration of the PDP Campaign Council for the upcoming governorship election in Osun State on Wednesday showed that all is not well with the party. Only Governors Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta and Darius Ishaku of Taraba state were present at the inauguration.
Again, during his interview on a television programme on Wednesday, Governor Samuel Ortom, of Benue State, called out the opposition party for allegedly betraying Wike, saying he was among the 17-member committee set up by Atiku to recommend a running mate for him. “Fourteen of us in the committee said the person should be Nyesom Wike; unfortunately, Atiku picked Okowa in his wisdom”, he stated.
According to the governor, Atiku, whose campaign promise is hinged on uniting Nigerians, is not doing enough to bring his party members together.
Also, hours after Ortom’s interview, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, took to Twitter to go against the PDP’s presidential candidate. In his tweet, Fayose expressed his support for the southern presidency.
The former governor also used the ‘it’s my turn’ mantra which is politically associated with the campaign of the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
