Recent events have demonstrated that the fallout from the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential primaries and Atiku Abubakar’s selection of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate has not yet subsided.
Atiku and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike met yesterday in Abuja at the request of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), which was chaired by Senator Walid Jibrin. A source with knowledge of the meeting said there was no truce reached.
Prof. Jerry Gana, a former minister of information and culture, held the conference at his home.
Atiku claimed that the PDP can win the election next year even without receiving many votes from Rivers State at a meeting with BoT members on Wednesday.
If Wike chose not to follow him, he claimed there was no reason to be alarmed.
Atiku, who exuded confidence, noted that President Muhammadu Buhari, who lost Rivers State, relied on votes from Lagos, Kano, and other crucial states to win the 2019 presidential election.
He added that Wike allegedly turned the presidential primary into a business. This is why the PDP was in trouble.
According to reports, Wike expressed dissatisfaction with Atiku’s most recent remark about him. Wike was informed of what took place at the BOT meeting.
A source said: “Wike joined issues with Atiku over his recent comments or pronouncements at the second meeting.
“He asked Atiku some questions:
”Did I tell you I want to be the next Minister of Petroleum Resources?
”Have I not been a minister before?
”Do you control Lagos and Kano, like President Muhammadu Buhari, if you don’t need Rivers?
”Have I asked for anything to support you?”
Atiku responded with “no” to most of the questions.
“Throughout the meeting, Wike was busy with posers to clear some impressions from Atiku’s camp in public space. Obviously, he was uncomfortable with some comments attributed to Atiku and some of his strategists.
“But the presidential candidate of the PDP was calm in managing the situation.”
According to sources, Atiku and Wike played hide-and-seek during a meeting with the BoT.
But BoT members have repeatedly urged Atiku to make amends with the Rivers governor.
Despite receiving invitation letters from the board, neither of the two leaders had expressed interest in meeting in person until yesterday.
In recent weeks, Atiku and Wike had resorted to insulting public figures in the media.
The PDP leadership gradually alienated Wike and his supporters as a result of the two camps’ media attacks on one another, which was also accepted by their supporters.
On Wednesday, the BoT entered the fray by forming a committee for reconciliation under the leadership of Senator Jibrin.
A second committee made up of representatives from the Atiku and Wike camps would reportedly be appointed by party stakeholders to settle the disagreements.
Additionally, it was discovered that whatever the committee decided would be presented for approval and ratification to a wider gathering of stakeholders.
“One takeaway from the meeting is that supporters of Atiku and Wike must stop the media war with immediate effect,” a party source said.
BoT members had a private meeting with Atiku in Abuja on Wednesday because they were concerned about the ongoing disagreement.
A member of the BoT said: “When the two leaders did not honour our invitation, we decided to meet with Atiku on Wednesday. We will still have an audience with Governor Wike. Our main interest is to keep the party united before we start the campaign.
“Atiku took time to explain to us how he is ready to work with all party leaders and governors to enable PDP to regain power in 2023.
“He said since 1993, he has desired to contest and win the nation’s presidency without bitterness. He then asked: “‘How can a first-time presidential aspirant be so bitter for losing the primary? What of President Muhammadu Buhari who contested four times for the office?’
“Atiku also revisited the primary and how it was heavily monetized by Wike, but he said he still won.
“He urged the BoT members to prevail on Wike to work with him and others for the success of the party.
“He said otherwise, he will go ahead with the campaign without Wike and his team.
“He also said there are other PDP leaders from Rivers State who have bought into his candidacy, including Abiye Sekibo, ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, Sen. Lee Maeba and others.”
The source quoted Atiku as telling the BoT members that “if Wike does not want to fall in line, we will go ahead with our campaign. One man alone does not make a state. Some PDP elders in the state are solidly with us.”
He added: “After all, President Buhari won the presidential election without many votes from Rivers State. He lost Rivers and still became the nation’s President after winning in Lagos, Kano and other strategic states.”
The BOT members, however, pleaded with Atiku to “allow more interventions to have a united campaign structure for the party’s victory.”
But before storming Gana’s house, Wike arrived in Abuja yesterday afternoon to consult with his strategists.
However, a source close to Wike’s camp claimed it was incorrect to have charged Wike with profiting from the party’s presidential primary.
He added: “We got to know all that transpired between Atiku and the BoT members. Wike did not monetise the PDP primary. Maybe, the Atiku group did. We don’t know what he is saying.”
According to the source, Wike organized his friends, followers, and acquaintances to give the PDP candidate’s campaign a significant boost in 2019.
“Wike has been a party man and he has never wavered in his commitment to his party’s return to power in 2023.
“If he did it for Atiku in 2019, he will do the same this time around.”
