Atiku shuned by Ortom, Wike in Makurdi; ‘Wike, others will work for Atiku’ _ Nat’l Dep. Vice Chair

The feud between the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the five aggrieved PDP governors may be far from over, as the duo of Governors Samuel Ortom and Nyesom Wike shunned Atiku at the Makurdi Airport in Benue State.

Mr Abubakar whose presidential campaign held a rally in Nasarawa State on Monday decided to fly to Benue because he could not secure a landing clearance in Nasarawa.

About 20 minutes before his arrival, Governor Ortom arrived at the Airport and many thought he was there to receive the PDP presidential candidate.

However, about five minutes later, the PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State landed at the Airport, and he exchanged pleasantries with Governor Ortom.

The latter was heard asking “So, you people will come to my state without telling me?

Moments later, a jet landed and Governor Ortom swiftly moved towards it to receive the person or persons aboard, it turned out to be Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

The governors hugged and exchanged pleasantries and without wasting time, the two men entered their vehicle and zoomed off.

Twenty minutes later, The former Vice President arrived at the Makurdi Airport alongside members of the Presidential Campaign Council and the PDP national chairman.

He was only received by Governor Okowa and other party members, the absence of Ortom and Wike, a strong indication that the rift remains far from being over.

This incident comes a day after Atiku Abubakar said he has met with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to resolve the lingering crisis within the party without any way forward.

The Benue and Rivers State Governors are part of the G-5 Group of Governors and the Integrity group which has been up in arms against the Party’s National Chairman and the Presidential Candidate, Dr Iyorchia Ayu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over some infractions by the duo.

They have vowed never to work with him on the 2023 elections until some issues are resolved chief among which is the resignation of the party’s National Chairman.

But contrary to the rebuff of the pact, the National Deputy Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Umar Illiya Damagum has said he is confident that the protesting five PDP Governors led by Nyesom Wike of Rivers state will work for the victory of the party Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and others in their various states.

Fielding questions from reporters at the party’s Presidential and Governorship campaign rally in Adamawa state Damagum says that the internal wrangling within the party will not affect its political fortune of rescuing the nation from the claws of APC come 2023.

He assured Nigeria that there is no cause for alarm over the prolonged internal wrangling in the PDP stressing by no means it would stop the party from producing the next president come 2023.

The fallout of the national convention of the PDP resulted to protest by five aggrieved governors who have been demanding the resignation of the national chairman of the party basing their argument on national representation and equality.