Nigeria: PDP Crisis - Wike, Ortom, Others Visit, Woo Bauchi Governor

9 November 2022

The governors said the visit was in solidarity to fraternise with Mr Mohammed over the recent happenings between him and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State alongside three other People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday paid a solidarity visit to their counterpart in Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ortom was accompanied by Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

Mr Ortom, who is also the leader of the PDP Governors' Integrity Group, otherwise called PDP - G5, met Mr Mohammed behind closed doors at the Government House, Bauchi.

Mr Wike, who spoke on behalf of the leader of the team, apologised on behalf of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who could not make the trip due to other engagements outside the country.

He said the visit was in solidarity to fraternise with Mr Mohammed over the recent happenings between him and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

"We are here to find out how things are with him, and if there are areas we could offer useful advice to him.

"Whatever affects him, affects us generally and that is why we came and nothing more than that," he said.

Responding, Mr Mohammed said he was highly impressed and happy to receive his counterparts on a solidarity visit, stressing that, "it is a homecoming.

"They call themselves the Integrity Group and I'm supposed to be with them but they excommunicated me for some reasons best known to them.

"I'm highly connected with each and every one of them. There is hardly a day that I don't call or speak to one of them because in politics, you go with the people you share things in common.

"One thing, I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges. Their own particular ideas, principles may be slightly different from mine but certainly, I bear and feel their pains as much as they do feel my own pains.

"We share so much in common with you and you know I have challenges in Bauchi State. The challenges of anti-party, challenges of undercutting some of the treachery and mischief," he said.

Mr Mohammed said the visit availed him the opportunity to confide some of his worries, fears and apprehensions.

Mr Mohammed is a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council constituted in September. He was named the council's vice chairman (North) while Mr Makinde is the vice chairman (South).

The Bauchi governor was one of the 12 presidential aspirants of the PDP defeated by Atiku at the primary election of the party in May. He got 20 votes in the primary.

The five governors have been demanding the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, to balance the party's leadership structure.

They said it is wrong for the party's national chairman to come from the same section of the country as the presidential candidate.

Both Messrs Ayu and Atiku are from the northern part of the country.

(NAN)

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