PDP convention: How ‘coup’ against Wike on Friday night failed – Group

Efforts by some of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leading presidential aspirants nursing a hidden agenda towards the eventual emergence of Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate have failed, even as many party loyalists from the north and south worked to counter such, a PDP support group, PDP Frontliners has said.

In a statement jointly signed by the PDP Frontliners’ President, Alhaji Hussein Aliyu Mohammed, its Secretary, Mr Moses Taye Abidemi its Publicity Secretary, Mr Dan Bruce Okafor, alleged that an unusual ‘çoup plot’ with an aggressive smear campaign seeking to undermine Wike’s support base among northern delegates almost succeeded, adding that all those who rabidly accuse the North of hegemonic moves and selfish interest in power should now learn from northern PDP members’ stout defiance of such suggestions.

“Various groups’ projection of a strong likelihood of victory had made Governor Wike to become a common enemy to some other aspirants; less than twenty-four hours to the PDP’s presidential primaries, one camp started a subtle ethno-religious mobilization against Wike while another vigorously disseminated anti-Wike propaganda.

“In fact, an aspirant’s determined plot to exploit ethnic and religious sentiments failed woefully by around 3 am on Saturday and the entire party must acknowledge and respect the role of people like Governor Bala Mohammed who rose against an agenda to make all other northern aspirants pull out in the interest of one person who has only been pursuing his personal ambition rather than Arewa or Nigeria’s interests for years. 

“A faceless Democracy and Integrity Forum was being sponsored by the aspirant’s camp because they perceive Gov Wike as the only threat against them and they had audaciously ran special anti-Wike propaganda advertisements, including one on page 19 of a national newspaper on Wednesday, 25th May, 2022.


“This failure of a coup based on exploitation of regional and religious sentiments betrays the peculiar treachery of desperate individuals among the old order who seem prone to entry and exit from any political party once they smell opportunism; as activist Deji Adeyanju recently observed, while Nyesom Wike may be well disposed to embrace any other winner, some individuals are not likely to embrace Wike if he wins,” the PDP Frontliners stated.


According to the group, many Nigerians have erroneously misjudged the North and its intentions over the years while the needs and interests of ordinary citizens are largely for improved welfare, curbing of insecurity, increased development and widened opportunities all of which are among values that Governor Nyesom Wike stands for.


“ As things stand in the PDP today, Governor Nyesom Wike stands the best chance of winning the PDP presidential ticket and taking on the ruling APC most effectively; many PDP loyalists appreciate his consistent and resolute commitment to the party and for being always there without taking an exit even in PDP’s most turbulent hours, Governor Wike is at great advantage in the hearts of PDP delegates,” the FPD Frontliners asserted further.