Wike Still Reeling From Pains Of PDP Presidential Primary – Dele Momodu

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dele Momodu has said that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, is still reeling from the pains of his defeat during the presidential primary of the Party in 2022.

He pointedly said that the former governor of Rivers State, has not been able to overcome the disappointment of the defeat he suffered at the Party’s Presidential primary in 2022.

Momodu, who stated these when he featured on Arise Television political programme on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, noted that Wike lost the presidential primary in 2022 to Atiku Abubakar against his believe and understanding that he was going to get the ticket and become the next president of Nigeria.

Momodu, who was the Director of Campaign and Communications of the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, particularly said that Wike was so sure he was going to be Nigeria’s president in 2023.

In his words; “Wike was so sure he would scale the first hurdle towards realizing his dream by defeating former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar in the party’s presidential primary election.

“The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) hinged his hope on his clout in the party, particularly his influence on some governors,” he said.

Momodu, who is also the publisher of Ovation Magazine, noted that Wike didn’t envisage the defeat experienced during the primary election, stressing that his eventual defeat informed his stance on some issues concerning the party.

He further said; “Wike is so pained and that is natural. Anyone who has ever lost anything in life would always feel very bad. So you can’t hold him for that. We expected that as months climbed over months, that he would get over it. But, he never got over it.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar won the PDP primary election having polled 371 votes to trounce Wike, his closest rival, who got 237 votes.

Wike and four PDP governors later formed the G5 to oppose Atiku’s election in the 2023 presidential election and contributed to the Party’s defeat.

However, even after the 2023 election, the crisis within the PDP seems farther from being over even with Wike taking up appointment in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Minister of the FCT and still retaining his membership of the PDP.

Rising from a meeting of the PDP Governors Forum on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Chairman of the Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, declared affecting the party was over.

Governor Mohammed said the governors of the party, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), and National Assembly caucus of the PDP have resolved and directed the National Working Committee (NWC) to revert to status quo ante.

Commenting on the moves of the Governors’ Forum, Momodu said the deft move by the governors was decisive, courageous and laudable, stressing that it was time for Wike to step back from intensifying party conflicts for the sake of unity.

Momodu said; “I believe that it is a very good start. If you had asked me this same question this time yesterday, my response would have been different. But I’m happy that, finally, the PDP Governors’ Forum is rising up to its responsibilities”.