PDP Suspends Campaign Over Atiku, Wike Rift

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have temporarily suspended its presidential campaign apparently over the protracted rift between the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike.

It was learnt that the campaign rally was suspended at the instance of Atiku who, party sources said, had drafted three prominent PDP stakeholders to mediate in the standoff between him and the Rivers Governor.

Atiku was reported to have drafted a former Senate President, David Mark; a former Rivers Governor, Peter Odili and a former Delta Governor, James Ibori as mediators.

It was further gathered that the campaign was suspended to give the three new “arbitrators” a chance to undertake and conclude their assignment.

Consequently, the campaign rally, which was scheduled to hold in Kebbi on Wednesday, October 12 was cancelled.

The rally slated for Zamfara for Thursday, October 13 and Kaduna on October 15 have also been rescheduled.

One of the PDP presidential campaign spokespersons, Kola Ologbondiyan, confirmed the cancellation of the rally in the three states.

Ologbondiyan told our correspondent he rally scheduled to hold in Kaduna on Friday had been shifted to Monday, October 17. He however, could not give definite dates for the rally in Kebbi and Zamfara.

The party flagged off its presidential campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, last Monday, October 10.

Five of the 13 PDP Governors, including Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) did not attend the event.

The Governors also boycotted the inauguration ceremony of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on September 28.

Led by Wike, the Governors are protesting the continued retention of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as PDP National Chairman and the alleged shoddy treatment of the Rivers Governor and his loyalists by Atiku and Ayu.