Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, meet with some governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other stakeholders of the party.
Sunday Sun gathered that the meeting was attended by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general election; acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum; Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed; Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri and Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal.
Also in attendance were the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki; Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke; Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang; former Minister of External Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi, amongst others.
Sunday Sun gathered that the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, in Atiku’s residence, in Abuja is not unconnected to recent developments in the party, especially the nomination of the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, as a minister by the All Progressives Congress ( APC) led Federal Government.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?gdpr=0&client=ca-pub-6321061981120130&output=html&h=161&slotname=3311717487&adk=3713012855&adf=2626550707&pi=t.ma~as.3311717487&w=641&lmt=1690678835&format=641×161&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsunnewsonline.com%2Fatiku-meets-pdp-stakeholders%2F&wgl=1&dt=1690682157553&bpp=66&bdt=5346&idt=66&shv=r20230726&mjsv=m202307270101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D029cdbb1f355b7b0-227c932f3ae000e2%3AT%3D1688858467%3ART%3D1690682098%3AS%3DALNI_MabMrZD1EdCiVxyBlDTUHZTlOYM7g&gpic=UID%3D00000c6584fb0dde%3AT%3D1688858467%3ART%3D1690682098%3AS%3DALNI_MaX3GCkC1Pw1hz85giM17PdV-Nt-g&prev_fmts=0x0%2C150x600%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=1791256687725&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=1665861654.1688858467&ga_sid=1690682156&ga_hid=1246018556&ga_fc=1&rplot=4&u_tz=60&u_his=16&u_h=768&u_w=1366&u_ah=728&u_aw=1366&u_cd=24&u_sd=1&adx=307&ady=1530&biw=1349&bih=615&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=44759875%2C44759926%2C44759842%2C31076340%2C31076510%2C42531705%2C31076544%2C44788442%2C31076286%2C44798329&oid=2&pvsid=3696490340524707&tmod=206747624&nvt=1&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fsunnewsonline.com%2F&fc=1920&brdim=-8%2C-8%2C-8%2C-8%2C1366%2C0%2C1382%2C744%2C1366%2C615&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CeEbr%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=oBPBT1AN0U&p=https%3A//sunnewsonline.com&dtd=700
Wike has been on warpath with Atiku and the PDP national leadership in the aftermath of the nomination of Atiku and Okowa as the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2023 poll.
The face-off between the former governor and Atiku polarised the opposition party, with Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, former governors of Benue, Enugu, Abia and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, alongside their supporters, boycotting the PDP presidential campaign and other activities of the party.
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In the aftermath of the 2023 polls, the G-5 governors have continued to hobnob with President Bola Tinubu.
Nevertheless, the PDP leadership, Sunday Sun gathered, had earlier resolved to keep a blind eye on the romance between the G-5 members and Tinubu, pending the outcome of the party’s case at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Regardless, a top party source told Sunday Sun that following Wike’s nomination as minister by the Federal Government, there has been pressure on the PDP leadership to impose a sanction on him and those who openly worked against the party in the 2023 presidential poll.
The source said: “The meeting is not unconnected to the issue of Wike. The party leaders want to discuss how best to react to his latest affront on the party. Many of us believe that the issue should not be left like that.”
Recall that Damagum has reportedly told a national newspaper that the PDP leaders will take a decision on Wike tomorrow.
However, a source close to Atiku told our correspondent, in a telephone interview, yesterday night, that the parley between the former vice president and party leaders was merely a “thank you meeting.”
He explained: “After the 2023 election, the former Vice President wrote to party leaders to thank them for their support. Today’s ( yesterday) meeting is a follow-up to that meeting. It has nothing to do with sanctioning anybody.”
Efforts to reach the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba was unsuccessful, as at press time.
Credit: Daily Sun