The People's Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) will meet with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Atiku Abubakar, the party's presidential candidate, on Wednesday to discuss the party's lingering post-convention crisis.




It should be noted that since the emergence of Atiku as the party's flagbearer and Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the party's vice presidential candidate, the PDP has struggled to remain united ahead of the 2023 general elections.


Sen. Walid Jibrin, Chairman of the BoT, told journalists in Kaduna on Monday that Wednesday's crucial meeting will accelerate the party's ongoing reconciliation process, adding that the BoT will meet with Atiku and Wike.


It was gathered that the meeting would take into account the grievances of the Wike-led camp. The Wike camp was said to have insisted on the removal of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, at their meeting on Sunday in Abuja.


According to sources within the party's national secretariat, the Wike camp also wants Atiku to sign a pledge that he will only serve one term in office before they pledge their support.


The BoT will also consider whether all members of the Wike team should be considered for appointment if the party wins the presidential election next year.


Jibrin stated in a statement that the Wednesday meeting would address all issues and make appropriate recommendations.


"Interestingly, the BoT, the party's highest advisory and conscious body, is meeting on Wednesday 3rd August to address the issue properly by forming a strong Reconciliation Committee to reconcile all aggrieved members, including Governor Wike," he said.


"I would like to encourage all BoT Members in the Prof Jerry Gana group to attend the BoT meeting on Wednesday for the BoT to reach a consensus." Following the BoT meeting, we will meet with Atiku, Okowa, and Wike to finally resolve the matter, allowing Atiku and Okowa to win the election hands down."


The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, on the other hand, stated that the challenges were not even comparable to the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), adding, "I want to assure everyone that all plans are on the ground to bring all members as one and united because what is happening in PDP can never be compared with the situation in APC and their plans to bring the religious issue of Muslim president and vice president."


The issue of Ayu's resignation has been on the front burner due to a reported gentleman agreement, which had requested that Ayu resign if the party's presidential candidate came from the North, but following the emergence of Atiku, it was learned that the song had changed to allow Ayu to stay in office until the general elections were completed.