Atiku vs Wike: Okowa Leads Fresh Reconciliation Moves As Ortom, Ikpeazu Soften Stance

The camp of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has begun fresh moves to reconcile with the five aggrieved governors of the party and the Integrity Group.

Naija News reports that the five aggrieved governors are Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and Samuel Ortom of Benue State.

Ikpeazu, Ortom, and Ugwuanyi are senatorial candidates; Makinde is running for another term in office, while only Wike is not contesting any position.

Despite previous overtures gradually yielding fruits, the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP and governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has been mandated to lead new reconciliation moves.

With barely two months to the 2023 general election, Saturday Sun gathered that two members of the G-5 governors, especially Ikpeazu and Ortom, might be softening their stance.

Although the duo has not openly declared their support for Atiku, their aides and political allies were already mounting pressure on them to soft-pedal and back the PDP presidential candidate.

Ikpeazu has not attended any campaign rally of Atiku, but it was gathered that the PDP foot soldiers in Abia State had been instructed to campaign for the presidential candidate of the party to avoid a division in the state chapter of the ruling party.

A PDP source said Ikpeazu’s action might have been informed by the fact that he’s a senatorial candidate and is careful not to be left in the cold if Atiku eventually wins next year at the polls.

The source disclosed that the governors are careful not to be seen to have dumped Wike, who incidentally.

On the other hand, Okowa has repeatedly met with Ortom as part of moves to secure his support.

The PDP source said the Benue governor might soon direct members of the party in the state to work for the presidential candidate.

The PDP member revealed that there are plans by members of Atiku’s camp to also meet with Ugwuanyi.

The source said: “Atiku said during the week that he had met Wike about five times. That might mean that the party is done begging him since the Atiku camp believes that Wike has been frustrating all the reconciliation moves so far made.

“But members of the Atiku camp are working on the fact that unfortunately for Wike, other governors are candidates, and they need the party as much as the party needs them. If they campaign against Atiku in their states, it will backfire.

“That’s why the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Okowa, is now leading the new reconciliation moves. Their target is to bring the other four governors to the fold. They’re succeeding already, I can assure you.

“If you’ve noticed, Ortom and Ikpeazu have become less critical of Atiku. Same thing for Makinde. Ugwuanyi has never attacked Atiku before. Right now, I can assure you that the crisis will soon be over. As for Wike, we believe he will move over eventually.

“The party has not completely ruled out further moves, but Wike needs to show that he’s ready for the reconciliation.”