Chief Press Secretary to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State and 2023 Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, has come out to warn the G5 Governors, that if they go ahead and endorse another presidential candidate for the party for the 2023 presidential election, “appropriate steps will be taken” against them.
 |
| Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Governor of Delta State and the 2023 Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) |
Ifeajika went on to clarify that Okowa did not betray anyone during the party’s presidential primary which saw Alhaji Atiku Abubakar emerge the 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP.
Okowa’s Media Aide made these clarifications in Asaba on Monday, while speaking at a news conference.
Ifeajika said: “For us in PDP, the party told the governors that it may not go with their position because we are in opposition, and in order to get it right, the party set up a committee headed by Benue Governor, Samuel Ortom, to advise it appropriately on zoning of the ticket.
“The Ortom committee, in its wisdom, recommended that zoning be jettisoned to allow all aspirants to participate in the primary to enable the best to emerge.
“The committee presented its report to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), where it was agreed to open the presidential ticket to enable the best hands to emerge as recommended.
“As far as we are aware, no member, including the governors or group, protested the party’s decision. They all acquiesced and accepted the party’s decision on zoning.
“There was no treachery anywhere because no agreement was reached. The party’s position prevailed and delegates at the presidential primary voted as they wished.
“Why didn’t they raise their voices against the party’s decision not to zone the ticket to any part and rise against it?
“They agreed to it, participated, only to start an agitation without foundation after a candidate had emerged.
“I see the G-5 Governors’ agitation as a distraction, and I appeal to them to sheath their sword and beat a retreat as quickly as possible to join the party’s rescue mission.
“They remain very senior PDP members, and they remain an important factor because the next election is a low hanging fruit for the PDP to pick if we close ranks. We believe that Nigerians would vote for the party.”
On the agitation of the G5 Governors for the sacking of National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, Ifeajika said: “In Rivers State, where Wike holds sway as governor, the governorship candidate is from Rivers South and the chairman of the party in the state is also from Rivers South.
“We didn’t see Wike tell the party chairman to step aside because a governorship candidate emerged from the same senatorial district with him.
“It becomes germane if Atiku emerges as president and the party chairman remains in office. There is no law that compels Ayu to resign because the North has produced the presidential candidate, unless he decides to step aside on his own volition.
“One would have thought that having pursued the agitation without yielding results, they will beat a retreat, but if they go ahead and endorse another candidate aside from the PDP presidential candidate, appropriate steps will be taken.”
Ifeajika also bared his mind on former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, endorsing Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi. He said: “You will recall that sometime ago he tore his party card and said he wants to remain a statesman. What he has done is the exercise of his constitutional rights.
“He was against Buhari in 2019, but he later won, and that means that many Nigerians didn’t listen to him, and that may also play out this time around.”
