Dele Momodu: Leaving PDP will be political suicide for Wike’s allies

Dele Momodu, former presidential hopeful with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, and his allies leaving the party will be “political suicide” for them.

Momodu spoke in a chat with Arise TV on Thursday.

The PDP has been in turmoil since May when Atiku Abubakar was elected as the presidential candidate of the party.

Wike, whom many thought would be chosen as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, was ignored by Atiku who picked Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta, as his running mate.

The Rivers governor’s allies — who include Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo; Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue; Jerry Gana, former minister of information — are insisting that Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national chairman, must resign as a condition for peace in the party.

On Wednesday, Wike’s allies announced they will not be participating in the PDP’s presidential campaign unless the party’s national chairman is removed.

Reacting to the situation, Momodu said Wike and his allies have the right to leave the party.

He, however, added that the decision will not bode well for them because “they have so much at stake”.

“I want to publicly appeal to them again. If they decide to go, it’s within their rights. Nobody can stop any grown man from making a decision,” Momodu said.

“If their decision is to throw their support behind a candidate of another party, it is fine. But honestly, this my opinion, it will be political suicide. That’s the truth because they have so much at stake.

“Will Governor Seyi Makinde [of Oyo state] say ‘during the presidential election, don’t vote for PDP; during the governorship, vote for me.’ It does not work that way.”