PDP crisis: Dankwambo, Wike’s ally, declares support for Atiku at Gombe rally

Ibrahim Dankwambo, former governor of Gombe, has declared support for Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking on Monday at the PDP presidential campaign rally in Gombe, Dankwambo said the people of the state will vote for Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election.

With his latest disposition, Dankwambo appears to have pulled out of the PDP ‘Integrity Group’ — comprising members who are demanding the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the party.

According to those calling for Ayu’s resignation, the PDP presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region.

Before now, Dankwambo, who is the PDP senatorial candidate for Gombe north, had been aligning with the ‘Integrity Group’ led by Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers.

So far, the group has boycotted the PDP presidential campaign rallies, and insisted that Ayu must resign.

Receiving the former vice-president in Gombe on Monday, Dankwambo described Abubakar as Nigeria’s next president.

“Today, I join the people to welcome Waziri Adamawa, our presidential candidate and also our next president, to Gombe state,” he said.

“I want to assure our presidential candidate and the members of our party, just as they’ve seen here themselves, Gombe state is for PDP.”

The former governor also reportedly donated buses for the PDP presidential campaign in the state.