Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike have met behind closed doors in Abuja on Thursday as reconciliatory moves within the party intensifies.
According to sources in the PDP, the meeting between the pair who haven’t been in good terms since the party’s presidential primary, was said to have taken place at the residence of former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Jerry Gana.
This is coming about two months after the party’s presidential primary where Wike, along with other aspirants, lost to eventual winner Atiku in the race to emerge the party’s presidential candidate.
The development is also coming after the chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Walid Jibril said it had also set up a committee to reconcile the “warring factions” in the party.
While details of the meeting were still sketchy as of the time of this report, the meeting is expected to signal what observers believed were moves to pacify the governor.
Speaking to a local news media, the source said, “Atiku and Wike met this (Thursday afternoon) at the residence of Jerry Gana. It was a good meeting, from what I gathered.
“They exchange pleasantries and they have resolved to move the reconciliation to the next stage.
“They have started the process; this started with a one-on-one interface.
“This will lead to a certain level and they can now resolve all the issues,” the source stated.
The source also disclosed that discussions were still ongoing about the choice of Director-General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation.
When contacted, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, declined comment.
Recall that Wike had indicated interest to become Atiku’s running mate while a committee set up by the party also later selected Wike for the position.
However, relations between both of them worsened after the former vice president decided to choose Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State which also worsened the crisis in the party as Wike held meetings with leaders of the All Progressives Congress.
