Atiku Working to Resolve Crisis with G-5 Govs, Says Ben Obi

•PDP candidate arrives Anambra today for presidential rally

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The chairman and director-general of Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council in Anambra State, Senator Ben Obi and Professor Obiora Okonkwo, respectively, revealed that a special team was already working to resolve the rift between the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the aggrieved governors of the party, known as G-5 Governors.

Obi and Okonkwo spoke yesterday in Awka, during a pre-campaign flag-off press conference to announce Atiku’s visit today. They also presented the candidate’s itinerary for the Anambra rally.

The duo, while addressing journalists, said efforts were on to reconcile Atiku and the G-5 Governors. They said the state was poised to give Atiku victory in the 2023 election.

Obi said, “It is a common thing for political parties to have crisis. That is not out of place, and we have a team that is working to resolve the crisis in the PDP.

“This is not something we want to make public, but let me tell you that the G-5 Governors are also willing for peace. Wike (Rivers State governor) has said so. We have a team that is working on that, and for now, we are not willing to make the outcome public, but we are working.”

Okonkwo also said, “Even in those states where the rifts are going on, there are still campaigns going on, and the plan is to vote PDP from top to bottom. In Abia, you have head of the five over five slogan, and all our governors are still campaigning for Atiku.

“In all their (G5 Governors’) demands, they have never said they have any problem with Atiku personally. It is not a matter that cannot be resolved.”

On the itinerary of the PDP presidential candidate in Anambra, Okonkwo said the party expected massive mobilisation, and a number of activities had been lined up for him.

He stated, “Arrival is by 10am. We will meet him at the airport and also move to the Governor’s Lodge, where the presidential candidate will meet with Governor Chukwuma Soludo. From there, he will have an interactive non-partisan meeting with the traditional rulers of Anambra State.

“He will commission the campaign office, and also interact with town union leaders, market leaders, at Ekwunife centre, before hitting the campaign arena.”

The party had earlier announced a public holiday for all the PDP members in the state, and Okonkwo said the decision stood, and a massive crowd was expected at the campaign.