From Victor Osula, Abuja
Putting aside the ongoing work of the 14-man reconciliation committee that him and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, set up to reconcile the aggrieved Governor of Rivers State, Nysesom Wike and his three-man governor supporters, Presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar jetted into London on Thursday for personally meeting.
Accompanied by home state governor, Umaru Fintiri, Atiku on arrival immediately set up a meeting with Wike and his group composed of the Rivers governor’s counterparts in Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State. Details of the meeting are still sketchy but sources say both groups have made some advancement in the talks to address some of the thorny issues that have contributed to the stand-off. Governor Wike who emerged second at the party’s national convention held on May 30 in Abuja had entered the race for the Vice Presidential candidacy of the party but lost to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State.
Giving the last minute negotiations and intrigues that characterised the VP race, leading to Wike’s lost, the party had been undergoing some crisis following the Rivers State governor’s grievances over the outcome. At a point he was rumoured to have held a meeting with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and at another point with the Labour Party candidate Dr Peter Obi with the backing of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Sources say with Atiku’s meeting, the party may be on the road to resolving its crisis and prepare for the electioneering, which kicks off on September 28.
