The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) officially kicked off its presidential campaign today without the presence of five of its party governors. The governors who shunned the event include Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Ifeanyi Ugwunayi of Enugu State.
Driving the news
Reports say that the stakeholders in attendance were PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar; his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
- Alongside them were other dignitaries, including Namadi Sambo, former Senate Presidents, David Mark, Bukola Saraki and Anyim Pius Anyim.
Quick catch-up
The five absentees recently pulled out of the PDP’s presidential campaign team following the party’s refusal to remove National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, in spite of the fraud allegations amongst other controversies leveled against him.
The big picture
The longstanding war between Wike and Ayu since the presidential primaries that produced Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential flag bearer of the party, could harm the party’s aspirations in the forthcoming elections. As many believe, this beef could ultimately lead to Gov Wike and others defecting to other parties seeing his romance with stakeholders of other political parties.