The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has reportedly held a meeting with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Truetells Nigeria understands based on inside sources quoted on Tuesday that the two politicians met in Paris, France.
It was further gathered that loyalists of Governor Wike including Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde and his colleague from Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu also attended the meeting.
The sources quoted by The Cable also suggested that Wike, who is having a running battle with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar may reach agreements to support Tinubu and the APC in the 2023 elections.
The source said; “This explains why both Governor Nyesom Wike, who is a leading member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu were both absent at the opening of the ongoing NBA conference in Lagos.”
The sources added that some horse-trading is part of the agenda of the meeting but Wike has no immediate plan to dump the PDP but will remain within the party and work against Atiku.
The sources however added that if things get worse, then Wike and his team might eventually decamp to the APC or join forces with the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Peter Obi.
Speaking further, the sources stated that the reconciliation meeting between the Atiku and Wike camps are exercises in futility at the moment.
The source alleged that Wike might also use former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko to destabilize the PDP and its presidential candidate and use his loyalists in Katsina, Kebbi, Cross River, Kano and other states as well against the ambition of Atiku.
“This meeting is a confirmation that the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, even before the 2022 presidential primaries of the PDP, has been working underground for the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu,” the sources said.
“This move is a clear indication that the Governor Wike-led group has been deceiving the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in fruitless reconciliation meetings, but has already decided to play the ‘spoiler game’ by destroying the party from within, frustrate the chances of the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar or when the push comes to shove, move en mass to the APC or Labour Party when the PDP least expected.
“It is important to note here that, part of Governor Wike’s plan ahead of the 2023 general elections, is to use the former governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko and other surrogates in Katsina, Kebbi, Cross River, Kano and other states to destabilise the campaigns of the PDP, especially the chances of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.”
The Challenge
The outcome of the PDP presidential primaries which produced Atiku Abubakar has been causing disaffection within the party particularly as it concerns the camp of Governor Nyesom Wike.
The subsequent emergence of Ifeanyi Okowa is also understood to have escalated the crisis.
Amidst the crack created in the PDP, there are ongoing reconciliatory efforts by the party leadership ahead of a crucial 2023
