Anyim-Ganduje meeting: PDP faces more upset as defection looms

From Lateef Taiwo

Some key members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appear set to dump the opposition party.

Many members of the party are said to be ready to accept appointments from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who promised a government of national unity.Ever since the PDP lost the 2023 presidential election to President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the party has been making efforts to recuse itself from implosion.

The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike is already on his way out of the party, having accepted a ministerial slot from the Tinubu administration. Wike has been screened by the Senate.

Another chieftain of the party, Senate Anyim Pius Anyim is now believed to have perfected plans to join the former governor of his State, Ebonyi, Senator David Umahi in APC.Anyim was reported to have met the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, at his residence inAbuja.

Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, had discussions with Ganduje, but the outcome of the meeting is unknown.However, sources say Anyim is likely on his way to the ruling party.

During the last general election, the Senator, who is a key member of the PDP, dumped his party’s guber candidate in Ebonyi state, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii for the APC candidate, now Governor Francis Nwifuru.It is unclear whether he supported the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar during the presidential election.A few weeks earlier, Anyim also had met with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock early July, a sign many interpreted as a plot to cross over to the ruling APC.

The former Senate President, told reporters after meeting with Tinubu that “It was a great honour to pay courtesy to the President and congratulate him, first and foremost, for his successful inauguration as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also to encourage and congratulate him for the bold decisions he has taken so far.”

Meanwhile, PDP leaders held another meeting over the weekend, but has remained silent on any disciplinary measure against members of the party leaning towards the APC.

Atiku tweeted after the meeting: “Earlier today, I joined other leaders and stakeholders of our esteemed party, @OfficialPDPNig, including my Vice Presidential candidate, Dr @IAOkowa, Governors, and members of the PDP NWC.

“This meeting provided an opportunity for us to examine the current state of our nation carefully and to thoughtfully articulate a pathway forward from the critical crossroads at which we presently find ourselves. .”