Party Chieftain alleges Wike's role in Peter Obi's departure from PDP

Paul Ibe, the spokesperson for the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, says his principal is not responsible for Peter Gregory Obi's departure before the presidential elections.

Speaking on the latest episode of Seun Okinbaloye’s Mic On podcast released on Saturday, Ibe pointed fingers at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who he accused of pursuing personal interests at the expense of the party’s collective goals.

He disclosed that Wike was willing to do everything possible to secure the presidential ticket if it was zoned to the South.

“Atiku Abubakar didn’t in any way force Obi’s exit from the party. It’s not about relationships (Atiku managing the relationship between himself and Obi), there were factors,” he explained.

“Wike was also instrumental in Obi’s exit because Wike had promoted his zone of the presidency to the south. Atiku had said that he was prepared to get himself off the ticket if the party zones the ticket to the southeast,” Ibe revealed.

According to Ibe, Wike actively undermined efforts to zone the ticket to the South East, fearing it would diminish his chances of clinching the nomination.

“Wike frustrated that effort because he believed that if it was zoned to the South and not the South East, he would have been in the best position to get the ticket. So he was instrumental in the exit of Obi from the party,” Ibe asserted.

He also disclosed that the Labour Party drew a lot of votes from the PDP in the polls.

“No doubt that the Atiku-Obi ticket of 2019 was a viable ticket and remained viable (if it happened in the 2023 elections) because the Labor Party took away some of the votes of the PDP,” he stated.

Ibe further urged all stakeholders, including Atiku, to examine what went wrong.

He said, “I believe this is the time to reflect and look at what went wrong, and I want to believe that all the actors, including His Excellency Atiku, have that reflection, perhaps that is why he (Atiku) keeps urging for a coalition of the opposition because if they stand together, that allows them to be able to oust the ruling party,” he said.

The rift between Atiku and Wike continued to split the party. The former Vice President and ex-Rivers State governor were holding on to their structures in the PDP and working at cross-purposes.