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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in frantic search for a Director General to lead its presidential campaign for the 2023 general elections.
It was gathered that the party has not been able to constitute its presidential campaign council as result of the crisis trailing the nomination of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
It was gathered that the party has not been able to constitute its presidential campaign council as result of the crisis trailing the nomination of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and his supporters, including governors Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu,Seyi Makinde of Benue, Enugu, Abia and Oyo states respectively, have been at logger head with the party and presidential candidate in the aftermath of the nomination exercises.
The Wike group continues to insist on the replacement of theparty national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu , before the 2023 polls as condition for reconciliation. On the other hand, Ayu has insisted he won’t resign as he was voted for a four-year tenure.
It was, however, learnt that as the September 28 deadline by INEC for the commencement of campaigns draws near, the PDP has intensified efforts to constitute a presidential campaign council.
Party sources said the crisis in party and the agitation for North/ South balance had made it difficult for the party and its presidential candidate to reach a decision on who to lead the campaign.
Daily Sun gathered that the composition of the presidential campaign council is expected to be one of the major issues for discourse at the party’s National Executive Committee ( NEC) meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
It was, however, gathered that the opposition party is considering governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Aminu Tambuwal of Enugu and Sokoto states as well as former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola to lead the presidential campaign.
The choice of the Enugu governor, it was learnt, is however dependent on outcome of ongoing peace talks between Atiku and the Wike camps.
It was learnt that while some party leaders are pushing that the campaign DG should come from the South as a way of soothing frayed nerves, others are of the opinion that where the DG comes should not not be an issue.
A source close to the former vice president told Daily Sun that the where the campaign DG would come from is immaterial, as the PDP is focused on winning the 2023 general elections.
“We want somebody who is very strong to win election. Whether the person is Igbo, Hausa or from anywhere is immaterial. We want somebody who can run the campaign and run it very well; that is what is important.”
A member of the PDP National Executive Committee ( NEC), however said there was need for Atiku to make a strong statement about his willingness to run an all inclusive campaign with his choice of the DG by ceding the position of the campaign DG to either the Rivers State governor or any of his men.
Ondomind
