A former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has warned that the crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may get “messier” if the contending issues are not quickly resolved.
Fayose issued the warning in a tweet on Sunday night, while expressing concerns on the “serious turbulence” rocking the main opposition party.
“I see more serious turbulence for PDP more than ever before. I have been silent all this while hoping that things will get better.”
“I advise we do more than we are doing now to resolve this crisis as events in days/weeks ahead may likely get messier. I pray this advice is not ignored”.
Recall that Fayose had contested the PDP presidential primary in May alongside others but lost to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
Thereafter, he said a Southerner must emerge as president in 2023 but in September, he changed his position, stating that despite his support for Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, he would work for the party’s presidential candidate (Atiku) in the 2023 general elections.
The Nigerian News reports that Wike has been battling against Atiku and PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, for months, stressing that northerners cannot occupy both positions.
With the official commencement of campaigns for the 2023 elections, the PDP, later in September, unveiled a 600-member campaign council headed by the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.
Atiku and his supporters have attended rallies in Bauchi, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, and a few places but Wike and his allies like Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) have been absent at any of these rallies.
Since after losing the PDP presidential ticket to Atiku at the party’s primary in May, Wike has consistently demanded Ayu’s resignation over what he termed “injustice” to southerners.
Atiku, who was Nigeria’s Vice President between 1999 and 2007, is in the presidential race alongside top contenders like Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
