The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says it has not shut the door of reconciliation between Governor Nyesom Wike and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made this known in a chat with DAILY POST on Sunday.
Wike has been up in arms with Atiku and the PDP hierarchy since the conclusion the May 2022 special convention in Abuja where he lost the party’s presidential ticket to the former Vice President.
A strong contender, Wike refused to take his loss to Atiku lightly as he unleashed a barrage of tirades against “our enemies”, a veiled reference to the winner and associates.
The vocal politician has used every platform and opportunity – flag-off or commissioning of projects, the media, interviews, public gatherings – to lambast the PDP leaders.
There are speculations that Wike, accused of anti-party activities, is supporting Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, though some presume he prefers Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP.
Months after his boast, the former Minister of Education is yet to openly endorse a candidate less than two weeks to the presidential election. The PDP is optimistic about a peaceful resolution.
However, speaking on Sunday, Ologunagba said “Talks are not done on the pages of newspapers, 24 hours is a lifetime in politics,”
The former House of Representatives member noted that the state of the nation since the APC assumed power far outweighs personal interests, urging citizens to oust the ruling party.
“Our candidate has made it clear that he is open to reconciliation. What is at stake is beyond individual interests, it is the country’s interests. We must come together and clean this mess.
“People are going through a lot…insecurity, no cash, no fuel. All these happening under a party that came to defraud Nigerians. The crisis is complicated by bad policies; this is not what we asked for.
“They printed money, we don’t know how they did it, no adequate information; now the money is not in circulation. What happened? They approved naira redesign but the new notes are not available.
“Are they not the people..their party…keeping the money? There are reports of about N22.5billion allegedly hidden in a Government House (in Northwest). The PDP believes Nigeria is in a bad shape.
“So, regarding reconciliation between Atiku and Wike, we will continue to have conversations,” Ologunagba stressed.