Why PDP Governorship Candidates Meeting With Wike Ended Well

Governorship candidates elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have successfully settled the rift between the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

Naija News reports that Atiku and Wike had been at loggerheads over the failure of the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, to resign.

Recall that seventeen governorship candidates under the PDP on Tuesday visited the Rivers State Governor.

Naija News had earlier reported that the governorship candidates were led by the flagbearer of the party in Jigawa State, Mustapha Sule Lamido.

The meeting was held with Governor Wike at his private residence in Rumueprikon, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

Some candidates in attendance at the meeting include the governorship candidate for Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, and his Katsina State counterpart, Yakubu Lado Danmarke, among others.

Though details of the meeting were not disclosed, multiple sources, both at Rivers Government House and one of the governorship candidates, told Vanguard that the candidates were able to broker peace between warring parties.

One of the sources said the candidates were able to get a commitment from the Rivers State governor to ceasefire and work in the party’s interest.

A governorship candidate, privy to the meeting, said: “18 of us were at the meeting, including the son of former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido.

“We threw banters, as to how his father has been attacking Wike.

“We had a useful discussion, and the outcome was positive. Governor Wike made us feel at home during the meeting. At the end of the meeting, Governor Wike committed to a ceasefire, and being an honourable man, the governor will not do anything that will hurt the interest of the party once all the matters are discussed.”

Another Government House source said: “The meeting was positive, and everyone there went away with a positive impression that all is going to be well with the party.

“One of the commitments the candidates extracted from the governor is that he will cease fire. The governor also promised not to work against the party. He opened up to them, and they found the meeting very useful.”

2023: Atiku Holds Strategy Meeting With PDP Governorship Candidates

The meeting between the governorship candidates and Wike came days after they met with Atiku.

Naija News reports the meeting with Atiku was held at the Abuja residence of the PDP presidential candidate and also had in attendance the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Atiku, while speaking on what was discussed at the meeting, said they strategized on how to mobilize Nigerians to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections