The publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu has expressed confidence that River State Governor, Nyesom Wike, will not leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the crisis rocking the party due to his rift with the party’s flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.
There has been speculations that Wike may dump PDP after he lost the party’s primaries to Atiku and subsequent picking of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the vice-presidential candidate.
But speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Monday, Momodu said Wike will not leave PDP because he’s a principled politician.
Momodu recommended that Atiku should have a one-on-one meeting with Wike, who he described as a force of reckon, to resolve the crisis rocking the party.
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He said, “For me, governor Wike is a very principled man; if there’s one thing he has been consistent about, it is his love for PDP; I believe he will not leave PDP. He is playing a mind game and he’s good at it. What shall he profit him if he joins APC?”
“The situation in PDP shows what Wike is in the equation of things in Nigeria. If you have a man who is your best governor across the board, across party lines, Wike stands out as a fantastic performer.
“Today, the fear of Wike is the beginning of wisdom in PDP, there is no question about that. Wike is smart, he knows the game he’s playing, and what he wants to do is to force a deal with the party. That’s my own reading of the situation.
“He is a very smart politician. I’m sure eventually the party will reach an agreement with him.
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“What I would advise Atiku Abubakar to do today is to sit down one-on-one without no other person present with governor Wike and agree on deliverables, If possible, sign an agreement,” he said.
“Governor Wike believes that the party should have respected the zoning principle, number two, he believes that zoning would have favoured a southern candidate. Three, he believed that of all the southern aspirants, he is the one that has the capacity to deliver victory to the party.
“Then number four, I believe he thinks he should have been to one to make that presidential candidate.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Atiku had reacted to the PDP crisis, saying that actions are being taken to address the grievances of all the party members, including governors.
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