Wike keeps quiet about his inclusion in Atiku's campaign

Unlike his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Udom Emmanuel, who accepted his appointment to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign committee, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has remained silent on his inclusion in the committee.

Mr. Wike's press aide, Kelvin Ebiri, when contacted, did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

On Thursday, the PDP appointed Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal as the chief executive of its 2023 presidential campaign committee, while Mr. Emmanuel was named chairman.

The party also named Governor Wike as a member of the campaign committee.

According to a document released by the party, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, an ally of Mr. Wike, has been appointed Vice Chairman (South) of the committee.

The appointment came amid a crisis rocking the PDP, with some members, led by Governor Wike, calling for the resignation of the party's national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

It is not clear whether MM. Wike and Makinde would accept their appointment to the board.

The chief executive of the committee, Mr. Tambuwal, was one of the party's presidential aspirants.

He, however, made a last-minute withdrawal and urged his supporters to vote for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the convention.

Encouraged by the withdrawal, Mr. Atiku beat Mr. Wike and other aspirants in the race to become the PDP presidential candidate.

A few hours after the convention, Mr. Ayu visited the Governor of Sokoto at his residence in Abuja to thank him for stepping down for Mr. Atiku.

Mr. Ayu's arrival at Mr. Tabuwal's residence was captured in a video clip.

“Thank you, thank you. You are the hero of the convention,” Mr. Ayu told his host, Governor Tambuwal.

I could have scuttled primary PDP – Wike

Governor Wike, who came second in the primary held in May, was not happy that Mr. Tambuwal was given a second opportunity to address delegates that he announced his withdrawal from the race and endorsed Mr. Atiku.

Mr. Wike expressed his anger at the party leadership for allowing Mr. Tambuwal to speak a second time, a development which Mr. Wike described as a breach of "guidelines and procedures".

"If I wanted to scuttle the convention, I could have done it and I told them. There are people you think are human beings who are not.

“I have never seen how people can break procedures and guidelines. You don't call him back,” Mr. Wike said, referring to Mr. Tambuwal.

After the primary, the PDP was embroiled in a crisis that many feared could affect the party's performance in the 2023 presidential election.

Mr. Wike, backed by Governors Makinde of Oyo, Okezie Ikpazu of Abia, Ifeanyi Oquanyi of Enugu and Samuel Ortom of Benue, demanded Mr. Ayu's resignation.

Governors are calling for Mr. Ayu's resignation to achieve "regional balance", since the party chairman and Mr. Atiku are both from northern Nigeria.

It is unclear whether Governor Wike and members of his group would join the PDP presidential campaign if their demands were not met.

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