The Peoples Democratic Party has set up a nine-member committee to beg Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over the Vice Presidential ticket given to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
This was disclosed by the party’s Board of Trustee Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin.
Premium Politics reported that the PDP flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, snubbed the recommendation of a 17-man committee set up by the party by picking Okowa over Wike.
Certain chieftains of the party, including the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom; ex-Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang and others, had criticised the choice of Okowa as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
There were reports on Friday that Wike snubbed a former Minister of Police Affairs and ally of Atiku, Adamu Waziri, who attempted to initiate a peace talk with him in Turkey.
The party, also on Sunday, raised another panel headed by Atiku, to pacify the aggrieved governor and prevail on him not to leave the party.
The Chairman, Gokana Local Government Area in Rivers State, Confidence Deko, in an interview in Port Harcourt, said Wike did not deserve the treatment he got from Atiku and the PDP.
He said, “As far I am concerned, Wike has done so much for the PDP and I don’t think he deserves what the party gave to him. Come to think of it, Atiku Abubakar and the party asked the National Working Committee to find out who becomes the vice-president. A report was submitted and he (Atiku) ignored the report, and then picked Ifeanyi Okowa, the Delta State Governor.
“I am not saying he is not supposed to use somebody, but I am of the view that if he was part of those who asked the NWC to search for who becomes the vice-president to be, and they gave him their recommendation, he would have acted on it.
“But to me, it looks very odd that after submitting the report to him, he went and announced Okowa. I don’t think that Wike deserves what Atiku has done to him.”