Wike Saved PDP, Atiku Reneged On Our Discussion – Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has faulted accusations that former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, should be blamed for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis.

Naijaonpoint reports that Governor Makinde said the crisis in the party had been on for long, but Wike saved the situation.

According to him, before he became governor, PDP was at its end, all other party stakeholders left the party to sink, but the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister saved the party from the brink.

“Let me quickly say this: long before I became a governor, the PDP was in serious crisis, and everybody thought the party was completely gone. Some of these people being mentioned today were nowhere at the time. Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, was there. He supported the party and was instrumental in bringing the PDP from the brink. Give it to him; he has always done his bit for the party,” he said.

Speaking with the Nation, Makinde explained that Atiku Abubakar‘s reneging on a discussion with him and other G5 governors – former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, former Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and former Governor Wike – in the build-up to the 2023 election, played a role in the party’s problem.

“I did G5 in the last presidential election because we thought after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, the president’s office should have been zoned to the South. Then, we got a zoning committee that left that option open. We went for the convention, though I supported Governor Wike, but the party’s delegates, in their wisdom, elected Waziri Adamawa as the candidate of the party. There was a problem. Nevertheless, we decided to still go into the election with a united front. We asked for some agreement for our zone.

“The party chairman, Senator Ayu, was from the North Central; our candidate was from the North East, and they were planning to make someone from the Northwest, though it hadn’t been announced at the time, to be the Director General of the campaign. That further put the party in more precarious state. And right immediately after the convention, I went to Adamawa governor, Gov. Fintiri, and I asked that Wike should be allowed to be on the ticket and that would have been a stronger ticket. Unfortunately, all the people around our candidate rejected that proposal. We also travelled to London to sort things out with him, and agreed on some things. But, when he came back, he reneged on all that we discussed,” he narrated.

The Oyo Governor said the party wants to unite. He stressed that the 2027 election would be between Nigerians and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Now, we don’t want to go that route again. Under this dispensation, we, the PDP governor,s met and I made it clear to all of them that we must wipe the slate clean, forget the past, and be ready for a fresh beginning. This party still remains the hope of the common. What Nigerians are saying to us is that we should get our house together and leave the rest to them. By 2027, it will not be APC versus PDP, but, it will be APC versus Nigerians,” he added.