Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman Abubakar Baraje has stated that the ongoing crisis involving PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike cannot destroy the party.
The PDP has been embroiled in an internal crisis since the nomination of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as its vice-presidential candidate. Wike, who finished second in the presidential primary won by Atiku Abubakar, had been giving the party the cold shoulder after losing the vice-presidential slot to Okowa.
He had met with some prominent members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but he insisted he would not leave the party.
Speaking on the issue on Arise TV on Wednesday, Baraje said PDP had been following due process in the resolution of its post-convention crisis, assuring that Wike remains a prominent member of the party.
He said although he was aware that Wike had been meeting and inviting APC members, the governor had not done anything anti-party, adding that PDP chieftains were working to resolve the crisis.
He also called on the party members to be patient and give them time to resolve the crisis, adding that Wike’s issue cannot tear the party apart.
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He said, “It is because we have not finished some of our homework that’s why we’ve postponed many of our meetings. The meeting of the caucus, the meeting of the NEC, and the meeting of the BOT.
”We have set up various subcommittees and committees within the party, and the report of this committee have started coming in. And we’ve given them a mandate, we’ve given them timeline. And we’ve to wait for them to complete whatever they’re doing.
”I just appeal to the aggrieved members particularly, to please give us time to solve the problem.
”The problem of governor Wike is not extraordinary. And it’s not an issue that will tear the party apart. The party has been there, it’s still there, and it will continue to be there.”
