Wike’s group has given only condition to support Atiku’s 2023 Presidency.

Newsone reports that the team of the Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ), Nigeria’s main opposition party, has pulled out of the campaign Council of the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar.

Rising from their stormy meeting at the country home of Wike in Obio-Akpor on Wednesday morning, members of the team vowed not to partake in Atiku’s campaign activities pending the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Only condition to support Atiku by Wike’s group

The members of the party sympathetic to Governor Wike insisted that there would be no deal with Atiku until Ayu vacated his office to allow an acting Chairman from the South lead the campaign of Atiku.

Newsone Naija reports that the aggrieved party stalwarts comprising founding members of the party, Governors, former Ministers and other leaders of the party made their position known in a resolution read by a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George.

The aggrieved party stalwarts maintained that their position was not negotiable as the chairmanship of Ayu undermined the unity and constitution of the party.

Reading the resolution, George said: “Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of the Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign.

“Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu”.

Jang said: “For a National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to go and embrace Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tanbuwal, calling him the hero of the convention meant that there was a private arrangement that was done with Tambuwal to shortchange other contestants including Governor Wike.

“Here was a referee, who helped one of his sides to score a goal and then blew the whistle. This is not what we formed the PDP to do for Nigerians. Therefore, we unequivocally ask that Ayu must step down”.

They said their support for Wike was neither because he lost the presidential primary nor because he was not chosen as the Vice-presidential running mate but because of equity and justice in the party.

Prof. Jerry Gana, a former Minister of Information, said if the party intended to restructure Nigeria it should have the courage to restructure itself.

“You cannot build on a faulty foundation. This call for the chairman to step down or resign is not because any of us is aggrieved but because we believe it is important to ensure a a just, fair, principled and constitutional structure for the party. If we want to restructure Nigeria, we should have the courage to restructure our party”.

On his part, Seyi Makinde,  the governor of Oyo State, said: “We hope that the powers that be listen to the voice of reason and do the needful”.

Court has nullified APC Governorship Primary.

Newsone reports that a Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State, northern Nigeria on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, nullified the Taraba governorship primary election that produced Emmanuel Bwacha as the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election.

This online news platform understands an aggrieved aspirant, David Kente, had dragged the party and its candidate to court over the recognition of Bwacha as the candidate of the party.

The presiding Judge, Justice Simon Amobeda, in his ruling, ordered that a fresh primary election be conducted within 14 days.

Newsone Naija reports that Federal High Court also ordered Bwacha to stop parading himself as the governorship candidate of the APC.

Kwankwaso has spoken about stepping down for another 2023 Election Presidential Candidate.

Newsone Naija reports that the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has denied speculations that he would be stepping down for the candidate of another party before the 2023 election.

This online news platform understands that there has been speculation that Kwankwaso would step down for either the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, or Bola Tinubu, the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party.

But speaking through his campaign spokesperson, Mr. Ladipo Johnson, the NNPP candidate, and the former Kano State Governor said he is contesting to win.

In a statement made available to journalists in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial city, on Sunday, September 11, 2022, Johnson said: “Kwankwaso is in the race to win.”

Newsone Nigeria reports that the NNPP campaign spokesperson stressed that Kwankwaso has all it takes to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2023 presidential election.

His words: “I do not know how people come up with these assertions and speculations. Kwankwaso cannot and will not step down for any candidate.

“Kwankwaso is not in the race to negotiate. He has the capacity, track record for competence, and the political will to lead Nigeria to greater heights”.