Veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, has weighed into the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State will not dump the main opposition party.
There had been disagreements in the PDP since the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
The governor is widely believed to be angry that Atiku settled for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.
But Momodu believes Wike will not abandon the party because he is a principled politician, adding that he is just playing mind games.
“For me, governor Wike is a very principled man; if there is one thing he has been consistent about, it is his love for PDP; I believe he will not leave PDP.
“He is playing a mind game and he is good at it. What shall it profit him if he joins APC?” Momodu asked.
According to Momodu, the development in the party following the outcome of the presidential primary has made the governor of Rivers a force to be reckoned with.
He stated that the PDP presidential candidate should have a one-on-one meeting with Wike to resolve the crisis rocking the party.
Momodu added, “What I would advise Atiku Abubakar to do today is to sit down one-on-one without no other person present with governor Wike and agree on deliverables, If possible, sign an agreement.
“Governor Wike believes that the party should have respected the zoning principle, number two, he believes that zoning would have favoured a southern candidate. Three, he believed that of all the southern aspirants, he is the one that has the capacity to deliver victory to the party.
“The situation in PDP shows what Wike is in the equation of things in Nigeria. If you have a man who is your best governor across the board, across party lines, Wike stands out as a fantastic performer.
“Today, the fear of Wike is the beginning of wisdom in PDP, there is no question about that. Wike is smart, he knows the game he’s playing, and what he wants to do is to force a deal with the party. That’s my own reading of the situation.”
