Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has kept leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party guessing over his next move following a vote of confidence passed on the Sen. Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee.
Wike and those sympathetic to his cause had demanded Ayu’s resignation as a precondition for peace.
Vanguard gathered in Abuja, on Tuesday, that the Wike camp is yet to give a clear signal as to when it would be available to receive emissaries from the party leadership.
A source in the camp who confided in our correspondent said, “As we speak, no date has been fixed for the meeting. A number of our people have travelled for one engagement or another outside the country.
“Besides, our demands are with the other side while we are not opposed to any genuine effort towards peace, we are no longer available to be deceived.
Ayu last week solicited the support of the new Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, and other party leaders to reach out to Wike for an amicable settlement of a dispute which has its origin in the party’s presidential primary and the selection of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa the presidential running mate.
While appealing to Wabara for his help, Ayu said, “As the new BoT Chairman with diplomatic experience. We implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support including that of the Presidential candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here.
“You have our support. The entire BoT should select and reach out to them. We are appealing that they should come back and let us work together.
The PDP chairman equally announced the decision of the NWC to send a high-powered delegation of its members to visit Port Harcourt to continue the interface.
The party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Illiya Damagun, was saddled with the responsibility of leading the team. Other party leaders will also be co-opted to join in the peace process.
A high-ranking member of the party’s leadership who also spoke in confidence said, “We are willing and ready to get this whole thing behind us but we have yet to get a definite date and time but we remain hopeful it will happen this week.”