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The spokesperson of the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe has faulted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for orchestrating the move for Peter Obi, (Presidential candidate for labour party in the 2023 general election ) to leave the PDP for labour party.
Ibe who stated this in Seun Okinbaloye’s Mic On podcast released said Akitu was not the brain behind Obi exit from the party.
Addressing the circumstances surrounding Obi’s departure, Ibe stated that Atiku did not orchestrate the split. 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 to Obi’s exit because Wike had promoted his zone of the presidency to the south. 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 out of the party,” Ibe asserted.
Reflecting on the 2019 presidential election, Ibe acknowledged the viability of the Atiku-Obi ticket, suggesting that the Labor Party’s performance in the recent polls drew votes away from the PDP.
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.
