Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, failed to attend the inauguration of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council and book launch in honour of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, who are believed to be allies of Wike, were also absent from the event in Abuja.

The PDP National Chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, also failed to attend the event.

The Deputy National Chairman (North), Umar Damagum, however, said Ayu was absent as a result of ill-health.

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However, Delta State Governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, was present at the campaign inauguration.

Other PDP governors in attendance include Governors Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Diri Duoye (Bayelsa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), and Darius Ishaku (Taraba).

Governor Wike has been at loggerheads with Ayu over calls for the latter’s resignation.

While Ayu insisted he was duly elected to serve a tenure of four years and cannot resign before his first term in office, Wike had said the PDP chairman must resign as a condition to campaign for Atiku ahead of the 2023 general election.

Wike and his loyalists said all top positions in the PDP are being occupied by northerners, noting that Ayu, who is from the North-Central, must resign as a concession to the South.

The Star