APC Governors Fayemi, Akeredolu, Sanwo-Olu in Rivers to Woo PDP’s Governor Wike

 

Some governors elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday met with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike at his country home in Port Harcourt, apparently to woo him to join the APC ahead of the 2023 elections.

Wike, who lost the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and also failed to get the Vice-Presidential ticket of the party, has been at loggerheads with the PDP ever since.

The governors who met with Wike yesterday were Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Akeredolu and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Ekiti, Ondo, and Lagos states, respectively.

Others in their entourage were the Ekiti State Governor-elect, Biodun Oyebanji; former Ekiti State governor and PDP chieftain, Ayodele Fayose, among others.

Sources said the APC governors are banking on the recent fallout of Wike with PDP leadership, after the main opposition party’s presidential primary, to get him into their party.

Wike has recently been receiving visits from politicians across political parties.

 

Following Atiku’s choice of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate, the Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, said the party had set up a nine-member committee to appease Wike.

The former vice president is believed to have nominated Okowa, despite the recommendation of Wike for the position by a 17-man committee set up by the party.

The crisis worsened with the loyalists of Wike threatening to leave the party if their principal defects.
But Atiku recently allayed fears over the crisis in the party, saying he would ensure reconciliation.

The crack in the main opposition party came to light after the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, accused Atiku of failing to honour the democratic choice in the selection of his running mate.

According to him, Wike, and others who backed him for the PDP vice-presidential ticket deserve a detailed explanation from the party’s presidential candidate.

Ortom, who said this during an interview on Arise TV on June 29, 2022, said it was surprising that Atiku could jettison the recommendation of 14 out of 17 members of the committee that recommended Wike as his running mate.
Ortom said: “I was among the 17-man committee that was set up by the candidate himself and some of us said Wike should be the vice-president. We discussed that in our meeting and we said it did not matter if he had supported the presidential candidate or not, but all that we need is unity and how to make things work.

“Unfortunately, the candidate himself picked Okowa. Some of us have resorted to prayers. I was really confused because I felt Wike would have been the VP. He was the second person to Atiku and Wike has charisma. All of us have our weak points.

“Wike can be something, but when it comes to mobilisation, impact, value addition and reaching out, Wike is an instrument. Wike is somebody who stood for the party. For some of us, we believed in him, but unfortunately, it was someone else.”

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

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