The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has met with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Atiku’s meeting with Wike took place in London on Thursday, hours after reports emerged that the duo is expected to meet in the UK.
Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Abia State’s Okezie Ikpeazu were pictured together with Atiku and Wike during the meeting.
As of the time of this report, details of the meeting have not been officially disclosed but it is believed to be about the 2023 elections.
Wike and Atiku have been at loggerheads over the outcome of the PDP presidential primary which the latter won in May.
The Rivers State leader contested the election but lost to the former vice president. Wike had accused the party leaders of not following laid down rules in the election held in Abuja.
In the wake of the election, a committee had recommended Wike, among others, to pick as his running mate. But Atiku chose the Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa, a move that deepened the crisis.
While explaining the rationale behind his choice, Atiku said Okowa is highly experienced, adding that he consulted widely before picking the former lawmaker.
“He personifies not only the seriousness the current moment represents for our country but also the future that our young people yearn for and also deserve,” Atiku said while unveiling Okowa as running mate in June.
“He’s a serving governor who has demonstrated in his state and through his conduct that governance is about service to the people. I know that he will not only add excitement to our energized campaign but will also help to bring focus, discipline, and stability to our government come 2023.”
Since then, the rift between the duo has widened. Efforts to reconcile them have not yielded fruits. Opposition parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) have equally made overtures to Wike, triggering further apprehension in the PDP. Wike had met with the APC presidential flagbearer Bola Tinubu as well as Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Credit: CHANNELS TV.
