Atiku’s camp faults call for his suspension from party

Supporters of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have condemned calls for his suspension from the party, describing the demand as “baseless and unreasonable”.

It emerged, yesterday, that agitation for Atiku’s suspension was generating a fresh storm, even as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, was said to be in league with some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to establish his grip in the party.

Wike had, last week, called on the NWC to suspend Atiku and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a former Sokoto State governor and Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign.

“I am calling on the NWC to, as a matter of urgency, suspend the presidential candidate of the party; suspend Aminu Tambuwal; and Sule Lamido, former Jigawa State governor,” Wike had said, adding that his position was based on fact that “the party was fighting against the will of Nigerians.”

He asked: “Is the party not against Nigerians? Who is superior? Is the party superior to Nigerians? There is a constitution. But because you think you have the power, you don’t want to follow the constitution.”

The former Rivers State governor faulted what he termed “Atiku’s political inconsistencies and his insistence on contesting the 2023 presidential election” against popular opinions that power should go to the south.

A top-ranking PDP member, who did not want his name in print, however, revealed that Wike’s boldness stemmed from the support he was getting from his allies within the party, especially members of the NWC.

It was learnt that some senior NWC members were working with Wike to expand his tentacles in the party and also frustrate Atiku and his men.

“Do not forget that Wike was instrumental to the emergence of many of them, and he is still working with them. It was Wike who unilaterally sacked the Uche Secondus-led NWC and installed the current one because he wanted to get the presidential ticket of PDP. So, it will be difficult to get him out of the party,” the source revealed.

But responding to Wike’s call, yesterday, Pedro Obaseki, the Director, Research and Strategy of Atiku Abubakar’s campaign organisation, said the party “must call Wike to order”.

He added: “There is a limit to the continued brigandage of a man who should be grateful to God for all the benefits he has enjoyed in the party. Those whose palm kernels were cracked for them by benevolent spirits should not forget to be humble.”