PDP Crisis: Atiku breaks silence, says feelings of party members being addressed

By our reporter| The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has broken his silence on the ongoing crisis rocking the main opposition party.

The former vice-president in a series of tweets on Thursday said actions are being taken to address the grievances of party members.

Atiku further stated that all party members, including governors “are much loved and respected” by him.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will remain united. Focus on our actions. We are taking action to address the feelings of all party members,” he tweeted.

“The unity in our community is my priority. Our resolve to unify Nigeria starts in our party and moves to the community, then on to society.

“Every Governor, Legislator, and other elected officials produced by our party, and party members and loyalists, are much loved and respected by me.

“When they speak, I listen. I do not only listen. Appropriate actions have been taken, are being taken, and will continue to be advanced.”

Some party members are aggrieved by the choice of Ifeanyi Okowa as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, ahead of Nyesom Wike who was chosen by the party’s NCW.

Benue state governor Samuel Ortom, one of the aggrieved party leaders in expressing reservations over Atiku’s decision in an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, said he was “fasting and praying” for divine guidance before deciding to support Atiku’s candidacy.

“All of us have our weapon; Wike can be ‘something something’ but when it comes to mobilisation, impact, value addition, and reaching out to make sure that the party works the man is an instrument. He’s somebody who stood for the party and made sure that things worked. Some of us believed in him, but unfortunately, it was somebody else. But the party is supreme,” he had said.

“However, some of us have resorted to prayers. I have been in hibernation. We’ve resorted to prayer: ‘Lord God, where do we go from here.’ I believe as a Christian that power belongs to God. The Bible says a man can receive nothing except it is given to him from above.”

Also on Thursday, another party leader, Ayo Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti state pulled his support for the Atiku presidency and insisted that the next president of the country must come from the south.