PDP Leaders Mull Sanctioning Wike As Party Move To Constitute Campaign Council

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and other organs of the party, including the National Working Committee (NWC) the Caucus, and the Board of Trustees (BoT) have given approval for the constitution of the presidential campaign council.

It was gathered that some leaders of the main opposition party had also discussed sanctioning Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his loyalists for engaging in anti-party activities, but other leaders were in support of ongoing reconciliatory efforts.

A top member of the PDP had told Vanguard that: “We held a major consultative meeting on Tuesday and I can assure you that the membership of the council will be announced in the next two weeks.

“Campaigns start next month; we want to be up and running before this happens. We have been reaching out to our members nationwide, including our respected leaders in Rivers State.

“Details of our next steps are being worked out. You know the PDP, being a very large family, has a lot of tendencies and individuals and groups have egos that require massaging. We are doing that.

“There are those pushing for us to wield the big stick but the majority are more favourably disposed to ongoing reconciliatory efforts because we are in opposition; we need everyone more than the ruling party.”

Another party leader, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said: “The PDP has dealt with bigger challenges; this one too has come and it will go. Governor Wike, whose name is being mentioned anytime our current challenges are cited, is a party man, he has said it himself.

“He has other party leaders who respect him and look up to him to protect their political interests. Whatsoever those interests may be, he feels an obligation to protect those who stuck out their necks for him during his bid for the ticket.

“It is the pursuit of this that has delayed us till now but we must make progress; we have an election to win and there will be positions of responsibilities to be given out. It is the patience component that is the issue at the moment.”

Also speaking, the Media Adviser to the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe said progress is being made with regard to resolving outstanding issues rocking the party.

“My principal has assured the party and all members that everyone will be carried along. That commitment has not changed,” he said.