Okowa: PDP is home to aggrieved governors — issues will be resolved

Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he is optimistic that the issues causing grievances in the party will be resolved.

Okowa spoke on Saturday after a meeting with Adolphus Wabara, acting chairman of the party’s board of trustees (BoT), in Abuja.

There has been crisis in the PDP since former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was elected as the party’s presidential candidate.

The rift deepened after Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, was reportedly overlooked by Abubakar in the selection of a running mate.

Following the development, there have been varying comments by members on “unfair treatment” as well as calls for Iyorchia Ayu to resign as national chairman.

Meanwhile, allies of Wike have insisted that they will not work for the party on campaigning for the 2023 elections if the issues are not resolved.

Wike and some governors — Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia — were also absent at the inauguration of the PDP presidential campaign council on Wednesday.

All PDP governors are members of the campaign council.

Speaking on Saturday, Okowa said though there is disagreement, the governors and other aggrieved members will not work against the party.

“Governors and other members who are aggrieved are members of the party, I believe that my brothers will all work for the party. PDP is home and they belong to that home. They are not going to destroy their home,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“We will all work together. I do believe that we will continue to talk with ourselves and resolve the little issues that are left.

“We understand that there is some level of disagreement, but we will continue to stay in touch with ourselves to resolve the issues.”

Speaking further, the Delta governor said Nigerians should make informed choices in the 2023 general election by electing Abubakar, as he has the capacity to effectively tackle the country’s challenges.

“I believe that Abubakar is the answer to Nigeria. He has committed himself very clearly in his document to Nigeria, ‘My Covenant with Nigerians’,” he said.

“Others are still thinking of what they are going to do. They have not been able to commit themselves so that we can truly see of truth if they have a pathway to solve the problems of Nigeria.

“Abubakar is the man that is prepared for the job. He is not going to learn on the job and he is one man that is acceptable across the six geo-political zones of this nation.

“There is no other person that has the kind of credentials that he has. Abubakar is the right person, Nigerians should think deeply and let us be guided that we need to work collectively to take Nigeria out of the decay that we have found ourselves.

“It is important that Nigerians work and support the PDP to deliver the Nigeria of our choice as we move into the future.”