The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has flagged off its presidential campaign in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The event which held at the Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo, is coming barely four months before the February 25 presidential election.
Party Dignitaries in the South-South state including the party’s presidential candidate and former Vice President, Akitu Abubakar, his running mate and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, and Governor of Sokoto State and Acting Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal were in attendance.
Others include Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed and his Adamawa counterpart, Ahmadu Fintiri, former lawmaker representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye among other top party officials.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar shared some images indicating that he arrived in Uyo last night.
Expressing his joy at being in Akwa Ibom State, the ex-vice president was accompanied by his running mate and Delta State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel and the Bauchi State Governorm, Bala Mohammed.
The inauguration however held without the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his allies led by the Governor Of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and Others.
The group led by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads with the party’s Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over perceived injustice to the Southern part of the Country by his emergence.
They have also been strident in their calls for the resignation of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, a known ally of the PDP Presidential candidate, who is also from Benue in the North Central.
This call has led to the resignation of the Chairman of the Party’ Board of Trustees, Ambassador Walid Jubrin, to among other things balance out the regional divide within the party and has since been replaced by the former President of the Senate, Adolphus Wabara.
All efforts aimed at addressing the crisis of confidence between the two camps has however failed to yield the desired results.
The latest was a meeting between Governor Wike and 7 members of the party’s Board of Trustees on Friday to address the issue which ended in deadlock.