 PDP crisis deepens as WK loyalists pull out of our Tikus campaign. And tonight on Civic Education, we discuss the call by former president Goodluck Jonathan to shun violence ahead of 2023 election. This is Plus Politics, I am Mary Arnold Cullen. The last may not be heard of the crisis in the People's Democratic Party PDP as Governor Yosemite Wike led tendency in the party has pulled out of the Presidential Campaign Council of Atikua Bubaka, except the party's national chairman Dr. Yosha Ayu steps down. The resolution of the Wike Group to pull out of Atikus campaign was taken as a meeting held in Wike's country home in Obiakwa yesterday. Prominent members of the group including founding members of the party, governors, former ministers and leaders of the party made the stance known in a resolution read by the former deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Olabadi George. This nonetheless, Ayu yesterday assured the party's social media handlers of massive support and encouragement to enable them effectively communicate PDP's message of hope, unity, restoration and development to the Nigerian public, noting that the opposition PDP was a party of ideas. Well joining us to discuss this is John Shuaibu, he's a member of the People's Democratic Party and he's joining us live from Abuja and Darlington Orji, former publicity secretary of the People's Democratic Party in River State, who's joining us from Pothaqa. Thank you so much gentlemen for being part of the conversation tonight. Thank you very much. Great. Darlington I'll start with you because you are of the PDP in River State and this conversation happened in Obiakwa yesterday. Can you give us an idea why the followers and supporters of Governor Wiki and every other person who was part of that event yesterday decided to take this position? Okay I'm asking why do you think that the PDP and those who are following your governor decided to take this position? Yes Okay thank you for the opportunity to give me the opportunity to explain to you what the public feels like that by the end of the day, I'm very happy to see the opportunity to discuss this conversation and all the national traditions and I'm very happy to bring it to you. After I said that I got the issue is about community, the issue is about community, the issue is about plasticine water please. We are complaining that the FPC government has failed Nigerians that they opt the promises made by the FPC administration they could not get to death. They came from the one dollar to one lira, the full reprise and all of that. And we are telling Nigeria. Darlington, are you there? I think that we're having a connection problem with you. Are you still there? I think that Darlington has dropped off that call. Well, let me come to you, John, until we're able to get Darlington back on that call. John, now the... Hello, Kairi Hani. Oh, okay, great. We lost you for a second. Go ahead. Hello, Kairi Hani. Yes, we can. Go ahead. Okay, I'm saying, and we are going to Nigeria, give us an opportunity. We are going to make Nigeria better. We need to start by demonstrating the practicing of what we preach. And we will coverage a different thing, and we will practice a different thing. And you expect Nigeria people to entrust power on you. Except, for instance, our national chairman, Dr. Hirotsha Ayuz, said, he is a candidate from the Northern extraction. And my guest is the presidential primary. I will stop that for equity and balance of power. Now, he has finished the primary. And my special thanks to God. And for all of us. And all of us. It's a little bit easier than it seems to me. I've never said something like that to our presidential candidate. But we have to say, you've made a promise to people, to the Nigerian people, that if not on our image, we are going to step down. Why find it difficult when you have not been entrusted power? And what we Nigeria do, or what we happen to Nigeria? One opportunity is given to us. And we never believe that. Darlington, I'd like to quickly ask you a question. There are cases that have been made. Wait, that's not on our image. It's not on our image. Darlington, I have a question if you can hear me. No. Can you hear me, Darlington? No. Yes, can you hear me? Because I have a question. Can you hear me? Yes, I can hear you now. There is a case that has been made in terms of the stepping down of Yacha IU. The PDP hasn't necessarily won this election yet. It's not that you're in power or anything. And so there are those who are saying, why not wait after the election where you do have, if you do have a president who is from the north, then you can decide that you will reassign these positions properly so they'll be balanced. Why the hurry? And the people who are also asking, and I'm posing the question to you, if Governor Wike were to have been made the vice presidential candidate for the PDP, would we be still asking for Yacha IU to step down? Yes. The answer is yes. We are asked for. But I'm not going to tell you. There are cases that have been made in terms of the stepping down of Yacha IU. Who are the people that have been managed in the affairs of PDP? Three sets of people. The candidate, the national party chairman, and the director general of the campaign. My guess is that these three people are from the north and extraction. And you will agree with me that the half of PDP... Oh, Darlington, I think that your network is very faulty. Darlington, you're just going to hold. Let's go to John. John, I'd like to take your thoughts on the recent developments. Governor Wike has come out this evening to say that he's not leaving the party despite the crisis and the push for the national chairman to be removed. He's saying he's not going anywhere, because there have been speculations that Governor Wike might just be moving to the Labour Party, or maybe even the opposition, which is the ruling party. But what is your take about all what's happening right now? Right. Well, if we're going to... Darlington, sorry, Darlington, sorry. This question is for John. Okay. Yes. Okay. Thank you, Maria. On this issue of this evening concerning the meeting that held in which Governor Wike called the stakeholders, PDP stakeholders, to meet to say his position that he's not going to leave the party is a welcome development. Because as a party member and a stakeholder, you know, I'm gladdened to hear that. Now, let's look at it the way it is. You posed a question to Darlington about why won't Governor Wike and his group wait till after election after we've known one yet? Because I want us to understand this. It is paramount for PDP to win and rescue this country from the hand of APC. Now, it's Governor Wike who has sacrificed so much for the party over the years. And I believe others have done so. But we're referring to him now. I believe it's time for him to sit back, look at it. Would my sacrifice go in vain? If he can take that one out, that whatever he is doing with his other party leaders that are concerned about whether the chairman should resign or not, then if he has that mindset, they should sit down and look. You know what? What is paramount for us as party members? According to Wike some time ago, he said, APC is cancerous. And PDP is headache. So which one is better? As far as I'm concerned, it's headache that PDP has now. It's nothing that we can resolve. So for him, I believe that they should work hard in hand with the team and leave this issue of resign. We understand that we have to resign, but can we afford to run a convention before the campaign starts? She will bug herself down with issues of the leadership of the party. Going fully where we have a precedent of what happened during Yadrash's reign where Kolina Modu had to lead wife, that election. And when we won and Yadrash was sworn in, she was sworn in as a chairman. And that for me, she survived. Let us look at the bigger picture of Nigeria, the rest of Nigeria and every concerned PDP member that want to see us back to lead the nation, act of the doldrums that APC have kept us. So for me, I don't see why they cannot wait for this to go. And that in here also made a illusion that we have, we have the candidates, the chairman, the director general. Governor Odum is a campaign chairman. So I believe the south is represented. We are the vice president of Kowa. I just plead, as every other concerned PDP member will do, that Governor Wiki should, you know, what they call calm down. So let's put the party first before our own interest and then Nigeria, the utmost. John, I just, I just want to quickly jump in there. I know that Darlington would have loved to respond to this, but I have had many people from the Southern Cockers on this show. And just as you said, Governor Wiki needs to calm down. Many people would say this is not a Wiki versus the party. This is the Southern Cockers versus the party. They're saying that they're the ones who the party had promised. They're the ones who feel that the party has let them down. Now, I'm not a member of the PDP, but this is the continuous response I've gotten from members of the Southern Cockers. Continuously happening on the fact that this is not a Wiki situation. It's a Southern Cockers. And just imagine the number of people who were at that meeting yesterday. It wasn't just members of the PDP in River State. There were members of the PDP from the south south and other southern parts of the country. So again, is this really not bigger than Governor Wiki other than us continuously saying that it's just a Wiki problem? And if Governor Wiki were to, in your words, calm down, what about the others? Now, Governor Wiki is seen to be the arrowhead of this whole group. Because it's all about Governor Wiki. Who is the champion of all this? Understandable. Because in any association you have a leader. I can tell you today, if Governor Wiki is okay, guys, let us calm down and sacrifice for the party. Everyone will fall in line. Because we can see that Governor Shirema today, when the article visited the south west, some of them came out and said they have four articles. All right? So it does not suffice. We should understand that at this point we are. The south is concerned. Understandably. But let us look at the ultimate, the party, and Nigeria. So everybody has a stake. And I believe PDPB what it is will know what to do and will do the right thing to make a swap. For heaven's sake, how do we both ourselves now with the convention that will bring in another party, another leaders? Because if you have, are you resigning, automatically the Deputy National Chairman will take over. So what happens then? Is it about are you, or is that bad enough? And if it's about enough, then if are you resigning, automatically, but constitutionally, according to the party, the Deputy National Chairman takes over. Then we begin to swap. Then where do we begin to fight for who to be the secretary? Do we just impose people and say, look, be the secretary, be the chairman? It doesn't work that way. Let's make the constitution a bad thing. Let us, it's just four months, five months, everything will end. But for me, I will plead, I will keep pleading that Governor Wiki should please sacrifice once again because history will remember him for good. History will remember all of them for good. Let me just pose one question before I go back to Darlington. The immediate former Governor of Platter State, Senator Jonah Zhang, dropped a bombshell today talking about the fact that the chairman of the party, the National Chairman, had a hand in Wiki losing out of the presidential ticket that he was in Kuhut with Tambor to read Wiki of that ticket. Would you like to respond before I go back to Darlington? Yes, I would like to respond. Governor Tambor is an adult. And from the reports gotten, we heard he reached out to Governor Wiki before he declared, before Governor Wiki declared that intervention is his interest in running for presidency. Now, with that hindsight and with the way no politics number one is of interest, of dialogue, if there was a dialogue amongst the candidates or the astronauts at that time, and Governor Tambor decided to step down for an article, I don't see that as an issue. And for the chairman, yes, we have issues. People might have issues with that. Why is he a hero of democracy? I doubt it. If he took the press man out there for them to record that particular what they call scene or what he said. You know, normally anybody with Android will just post anything they like. I doubt if a chairman or you want such a thing to go out. But haven't said that. Haven't said that. It is a hero of democracy. It means that probably there would have been a deadlock. Who knows? I don't know what transpired for them to have said that. But I doubt if they are in Kuhut. Because number one, don't forget, Governor Wiki that night, I was at the convention till the end. I was a member of the community. Nobody knew, everybody was okay, what would happen until that last minute news. And you know, there was a context because dialogue is what politics is all about. Interest is what politics is all about. Negotiations is what politics is all about. So imagine, let's assume, if Governor Wiki had told me quickly dialogue or negotiating with Governor Udom or Chief Ayin, the former president, and it's all on his own side, what would people say? Interesting. So it's a game. So Governor Jiang, I believe he got it wrong. I will say that he should be as an elder. He should be full of this kind of talk line. Okay. One in the kind of talk line is not good for the party. He's not good for the overall interest of the party. Okay. Let me go back to Darlington. Darlington, can you hear me? Looking at what Governor Jiang has said, and of course, coming back to your Governor, Governor Yesun Wike is saying he's not going to leave the party. But then of course, all of those conversations that we've had, week in, week out, has his name plastered boldly on it. What does this position, this resigning or not participating in the campaign of the presidential flag bearer, what does this mean for the PDP even in your state? And of course, if the Governor is saying they're going to retain PDP seats in river state, is this not also drawing a line of divide within the party? How can a house divided by its, within itself stand? Darlington, can you hear me? I think that we no longer have Darlington. Darlington, can you hear me? Unfortunately, I think we lost Darlington or Jean. But I'm coming back to you again, John, with this. How can a house divided against itself stand? Because it now looks like the situation, the quagmire that the party has found itself in is also somewhat of a drawback being that you're a few days away from campaign starting in earnest. Where do we go from here? Well, for me, if for what Governor Wike said today that definitely not leaving the party is going to support every even to the governorship, to the senatorial seats and house of rep seats, that PDP will claim. Yes, very okay. But the question is, could there be a political suspect for Governor Wike to say both for house of rep, both for PDP, whether it's a Senate, for reverse candidates and don't vote for a ticket, it will be a political suspect. How do you even do that? Right, so I see him, I should see a situation in which a Governor Wike should, like I said earlier, give this luck sacrifice. You become the hero of all this at the end of the day. Because what I told one of our leaders yesterday, one of our governors yesterday, who is part of them, was, look, his tree has a way of remembering people for it are good or for bad, no matter how aggrieved we are. All right, so I don't see also any, what is it called, breakdown of unity at the end of the day. I think that PDP is going to survive this before the elections. I know one thing, that before election, before the election, as the campaign is building up, stuff will still be made up. They will agree, there will be a meeting, there will be negotiation, and there will be compromise. And when that compromise comes, at the end of February, when voting starts, I see Governor Wike saying, article is my candidate, because there are regulatory efforts, the VOC are working, there are reconciliation committees on, individuals, his friends, political leaders, stakeholders are talking, and we keep talking, politics about talking and talking. At the end of the day, I see the envelope, you mean strong, the party remains strong and coming up tops at the end of the day. But then, Governor Wike should once again sacrifice for the party, because I know it's important to us, it's important to Nigeria in this position. Well, I want to say thank you, and I wish the PDP the best of luck, as you get ready for campaign season. John Shribu is a member of the People's Democratic Party and Darlington Orgy, former publicity secretary of the PDP in Riverstay. Thank you so much for speaking with us, gentlemen. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you. Well, thank you all for staying with us. We'll take a short break. Now, when we get back, we'll be continuing our conversation talking about a violent free campaign season, because the season is upon us. Stay with us.