PDP crisis: Some governors in Wike’s camp will still support Atiku, says Melaye

Dino Melaye, former senator representing Kogi west, says some aggrieved governors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will work in favour of the party in the 2023 presidential election.

Melaye spoke on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television.

Presently, the PDP is enmeshed in internal wranglings over the insistence of Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, and his allies on the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s national chairman.

According to Wike’s allies, the national chairman and the presidential candidate of the party cannot be from the same region.

Efforts of some party stakeholders to influence Wike and his allies to drop their demand for the resignation of Ayu have proved abortive.

Recently, Wike said nobody can cause division among his allies in the PDP.

Other governors in Wike’s camp are Samuel Ortom of Benue, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.

Speaking on the crisis in the party, Melaye said PDP governors, including Wike’s allies, worked towards Ayu becoming the national chairman of the party.

The PDP presidential campaign spokesperson also said it is insincere to involve Abubakar in the call for Ayu to resign.

“What is the role of Atiku Abubakar in Ayu leaving or not? To start with, the governors brought in Ayu without the consent or approval of Atiku,” Melaye said.

“Ayu is a creation of the governors. Governor Wike was responsible for the coming of Ayu while governor Ortom was the guarantor.

“Ayu is their product. That is why there was no competition. That is why Ayu was the sole candidate. By the time Ayu was coming, were they thinking that Ayu is from Abia, Enugu, or Ogbomoso?

“Ayu is not Atiku’s son that he will say ‘go and sit down.’ For you to ask Atiku to take panadol for another person’s headache shows insincerity of purpose, heart, and commitment.

“Above all, by the grace of God, at the end of the day, we may not get everybody together, but I want to tell you that some of these governors are still going to work for their party.

“Even one of the governors — governor of Abia — when he was talking in Makurdi yesterday, said that they should vote PDP from top to bottom. He did not segregate, meaning that he is ready to work for the party.”