Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) nominee for president, has urged his followers to refrain from attacking Mr. Nyesom Wike and his supporters in the media.
In a statement released on Thursday, August 25, 2022 by Mazi Paul Ibe, Atiku’s media adviser, claimed that the ongoing efforts to mend the festering gap between him and the governor of Rivers could be jeopardised by the media onslaught.
Shortly after learning that Wike and three other PDP governors had met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in London on Thursday, the former vice president made the call. According to reports, Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, attended the conference in London.
According to reports, Atiku was supposed to meet with Wike and his team late on Thursday in London.
“It has become imperative to appeal to all party members, leaders, and anyone related to, connected with, or associated with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, to desist from making remarks that potentially harm the PDP’s perception as a unified political party,” the statement read.
“This appeal becomes necessary in order to call the attention of party leaders and members to the diversionary antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress which, in manufacturing a false impression of division within the PDP, aims to hoodwink the Nigerian public to overlook the monumental failures of the ruling party.
“Today, Nigerians look up to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lead the charge in ousting the ruling party. This expectation from the people is the reason why the APC is jittery of their impending fall in next year’s general election. It is also the very reason why the ruling party is manipulating the political process to create a sense of division in the PDP.
“Because they know that there is nothing to campaign with from their records of performance in office, the APC has elected to play the role of the devil’s advocate, regaling in celebration of their imaginary invincibility upon a fraudulent claim that the PDP is divided.
“It is for this reason that appeal to every true member of the PDP and anyone who truly wishes the success of the PDP presidential candidate to not fall for the antics of the APC in making statements that could give credence to the false claim of divisions in the PDP.
“All the leaders of the party, including especially the governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Nyesom Wike and all governors of the PDP are united in working for the victory of the PDP in next year’s general election across board.
“What is at stake in the next year’s election is the future of Nigeria and all leaders and members of the PDP are on the same page in the mission to rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of the APC.”
Acrimonious comments from supporters of the two feuding PDP chieftains were being exchanged in the media, which was widening the divide between Atiku and Wike.
Alhaji Sule Lamido, a supporter of Atiku and a former governor of Jigawa State, has been spearheading the media campaign against Wike, claiming that the Rivers governor’s power inside the PDP has been exaggerated.
In reaction to Wike’s subliminal threat to work against Atiku’s interests in the 2023 presidential election, Lamido made his statement.
In the past few weeks, the Rivers governor and a few PDP governors in his camp have met with some of the APC’s most important figures both domestically and abroad.
The conflict between Atiku and Wike reached a breaking point in June when the former chose Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the governor of Delta State, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election, replacing the governor of Rivers.
In retaliation, Wike and his supporters have persisted in making Atiku’s presidential campaign dependent upon the resignation of PDP National Chairman Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
