Former minister and chieftain of the people’s democratic party (PDP), Godsday Orubebe has resigned.
In his letter of resignation dated June 20, 2022, which was addressed to the PDP National Chairman Senator Iyiorcha Ayu, Orubebe observed that recent events within the party showed that PDP was not ready to regain power in the 2023 elections.
It reads in parts: “I am highly honoured and privileged to have been part of a political party that successfully transformed a pariah nation to one that commanded respect in the comity of nations.
“When we lost the presidential election in 2015 in bewildering circumstances, to say the least, it was my belief that the party would use the opposition period to re-strategize with the aim of taking back power at the earliest opportunity.
“Against the mood of the nation and in complete disregard to the provisions of the party’s constitution, the party, threw the zoning of the presidency open, which created a situation that led to the emergence of a northerner as the party’s presidential flag bearer, thus making the two topmost positions in the party, after your emergence as the National Chairman, to be occupied by northerners, contrary to section 7.3(c) of the party’s constitution.”
Orubebe, however, acknowledged the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for his performance during the presidential primaries, stating “I salute and commend the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, for his efforts and gallantry at the primaries.
Mr Orubebe, who is a former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, is one of the aggrieved members of the party. He is one of those who are not pleased with the party’s leadership for throwing open the presidential ticket and for failing to pick Mr Wike as a vice-presidential candidate.
Mr Orubebe also made it clearly known that “the present situation in the party does not inspire confidence that the party is ready to regain power in 2023.”
