The late Monday night meeting of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi with the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and his allies is unsettling members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as there is anxiety of losing the 2023 presidential election heightens over a possible alliance between Wike and Obi.
Obi met with Governor Wike, at the governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt and in attendance were the former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko.
Other allies of the Rivers governor at the meeting include Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and his Abia State counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu, former Cross River Governor, Donald Duke, and ex-Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, among others.
The purpose of the Wike / Obi meeting could not be immediately ascertained, but there is speculation that it may not be far from a possible alignment of forces ahead of the 2023 general election.
A glimpse of the meeting was posted by former Governor Mimiko who in a tweet on Tuesday, and a shared photograph with the politicians, wrote: “Nice to share some time last night with @GovWike @Donald_Duke @PeterObi @HEDankwambo @GovSamuelOrtom, @GovernorIkpeazu, Mohammed Adoke SAN and many other friends.”
Wike and Obi had met before but no official engagement was perfected between the two politicians, but due to the prolonged crisis in the PDP sparked the face-off between Wike and PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, speculations are rife that Wike may severe relationship with the PDP while he continues to explore his next political platform.
Read Also: Aubameyang insist on staying in Barcelona
Meanwhile, the much awaited meeting between the Atiku and Wike’s camps failed to take place Monday night in Port-Harcourt.
The Trumpet learnt that the two sides agreed to meet in the Rivers State capital to commence negotiation towards reaching a truce to fortify the party’s position ahead of the Presidential 28 presidential campaign.
But the meeting could not hold because delegates on Atiku’s team failed to show up.
A source said the team could not make the trip because of failed flight schedule from the Yola International Airport to Port- Harcourt Monday evening.
Most of the members of the Atiku team led by the Adamawa State governor, Rt. Hon. Umaru Fintiri on Monday afternoon attended the civic reception in honour of Atiku by the state PDP and the reception for about 1600 members of other political parties that defected to PDP.
Some of the representatives of the Atiku side were the Chairman, Governor Fintiri; former Minister, Adamu Waziri; former PDP governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Eyitayo Jegede, former Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke, and Jide Adeniji.
Expected from the Wike side were former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke; former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana; former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke; former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, and former Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo.
While during the day in Port-Harcourt, Wike and his allies were busy felicitating with the former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, whose 74th birthday anniversary was celebrated.
It was later gathered that when it became obvious that the Atiku/ Wike parley could not hold again, they retired to the Wike’s residence where Obi was hosted.
Click on The Trumpet and follow us on our Twitter page for more:
