The dust over the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the choice of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as running mate by its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has not settled.



Although Atiku and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike met yesterday in Abuja at the instance of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), led by Senator Walid Jibrin, a source said it did not lead to a truce.

The meeting was hosted by former Information and Culture Minister Prof. Jerry Gana at his residence.

At a meeting with BoT members on Wednesday, Atiku boasted that PDP can win next year’s election without many votes from Rivers State.

He said there was no cause for alarm if Wike did not want to fall in line with him.

Exuding confidence, Atiku recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, who did not win Rivers State, relied on votes from Lagos, Kano and other strategic states to win the 2019 presidential poll.

He also said PDP ran into crisis because Wike allegedly monetised the presidential primary.

Wike, who was privy to what transpired at the BOT meeting, was said to have complained about Atiku’s recent comment about him.

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.”

Sources said Atiku and Wike had been engaged in a hide and seek game over a session with the BoT.

However, BoT members have consistently pleaded with Atiku to reconcile with the Rivers governor.

Although the two leaders got invitation letters from the board, none of them was interested in a face-to-face meeting before yesterday.

Atiku and Wike had resorted to bitter verbal exchanges and name-calling in the media in the past few weeks.

Their loyalists had also picked the gauntlet, with the two camps launching media attacks against each other, leading to a gradual alienation of Wike and his loyalists by the PDP leadership.


The BoT had waded in on Wednesday, with the setting up of a reconciliation committee headed by Senator Jibrin.

It was also gathered that party stakeholders will empanel another committee comprising nominees from the Atiku and Wike camps to resolve the differences.

It was also learnt that whatever the committee agreed upon would be tabled before a larger meeting of stakeholders for approval and ratification.

“One takeaway from the meeting is that supporters of Atiku and Wike must stop the media war with immediate effect,” a party source said.

Worried by the protracted rift, BoT members had on Wednesday met with Atiku in Abuja behind closed doors.

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 monetised 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 Wike flew into Abuja yesterday afternoon to hold a session with his strategists before storming Gana’s residence.

But a source close to Wike’s camp said it was wrong to have accused Wike of monetising the presidential primary of the party.

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.”

The source said Wike rallied his friends, supporters and associates to boost the campaign of the PDP’s candidate with a huge amount 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.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/2023-pdp-can-win-without-wike-atiku-tells-partys-bot/

Okay let wait and see.

It is glaring that Atiku is showing his colour as a presidential candidate with his stiff disposition and crude aggrandisement, how will he behave as a president?

Whatever go wrong in their camp should be placed at the doorstep of Atiku and some useless politicians from the South particularly some governors from SE who allowed Atiku a political harlot to hijack the ticket from the Southern PDP who laboured to keep the party standing when Atiku was hobnobbing with Dubai babes.

Like Atiku like Peter Obi, relying on politician without conviction to stand for what they believe in come rain come sunshine will result in regret for Atikulators and Obidients who cannot vouch that their principal would not defect to the ruling party in 2023.

One thing you can't take away from Wike was his conviction and commitment to weather the storm. During the darkest days of PDP when there was no money to finance the party, he stood strong just like Tinubu and repackage PDP to now have a chance of taking power at the centre in 2023.

However, the cracked wall is already damaged, no reconciliation will remove suspicion between the two groups henceforth, that is one orgy fact about politics. The best option for Wike is to make his position clear if he has gut to jettison Atiku since Atiku has made his position clear that he could win the presidency without Rivers State vote.

With or without Wike PDP will lose.

Wike is going about like a cry baby

Wike contested against Atiku in the primaries and was defeated.

Picking a running mate is prerogative of the candidate.

Okowa is also a second term governor and could have contested the primaries but chose to support Atiku. No reason why Atiku should be compelled to choose a governor who fought against him at the primaries ahead of another governor who supported him

Who the hell is Wike?

2023 elections will be the most interesting in the country .

We have 4 major candidates span across different Geopolitical location with support for their people.

Interesting time ahead.

We are moving forward gradually. There was an Era that who ever wins PDP presidential primary is automatically the next president of the country..

This matter longinus o

Tinubu’s Nation Newspaper trying to sow discord between Wike and Atiku so that Wike would work for Tinubu.

But if Atiku truly said that, then pride truly goeth before a fall.

Coming from The Nations, the numero uno propaganda newspaper, I'd take the news with a pinch of salt

Wike will never work for Atiku. Wike will also never work for Tinubu!

Fight in the enemies camp

Wike should make up his mind quickly and stop dragging the issue unnecessarily. Even if he supports Atiku at this point, he will still deal with him ruthlessly after the election. In fact, so many PDP members are merely tolerating Wike. They can’t wait to cut him to size after the election. I don’t see a political future for him in PDP again.

It is written. Atiku and tinubu shall never be president of Nigeria.
Know this and know peace.
Obi we know
Obi we want
Obi we will vote
Obidient is the key
Obidient brings blessing.

Lol
Make all of una dey shout, campaign o
Is there going to be election come 2023 with what is going on in this country
Hmmm...

Advise to Wike perhaps if you read this. You need a trade off somewhere. And this tradeoff is the presidency. You need to invite Obi to one of your commissioning in this way the Igbos in Rivers will see you as being sympathetic to Obi. Atiku presidency has nothing for you. It will emasculate you to making sure u don't raise your head in 2027.
Your only stake presently is the governorship candidate. And that would be made easy if you are seen being in good working relationship with Obi. No doubt majority of Rivers people will vote Fubara but this could be swayed if the igbos vote go the other way round.

Atiku said he has always wanted to be president since 1993 and has played the game fairly, that How can a man (Wike) conteste the primaries for the 1st time and lost and is very bitter. Nice one from Atiku.

ok

Atiku should be choosing his words wisely. Even if he believes he can win without Wike, no need saying it out.
Anyway, Wike should become Obidient & Yusful to himself. Let's all do away with Brooms & Umbrellas & vote Human Beings this time around.

Overconfident kills d cat

.

Wike is over hyping himself and he will be disgraced eventually if wike refuse to work for Atiku another pdp leader in River state will work for Atiku and he will get reasonable votes in river state and let see who wike and his useless camp will campaign for

That's an UNREPENTANT BLUFF.

More reasons why both cannot work together. Wike is too hot headed and cannot be controlled.

EagleNest:
More reasons why both cannot work together. Wike is too hot headed and cannot be controlled.

Atiku is a harlot that should not be relied on

Wike's greatest mistake is not obtaining senate form

Imagine, he will be irrelevant after 2023

Lol the nation newspaper

Then IGNORE Woke and see what he can do.

Penguin2:
Tinubu’s Nation Newspaper trying to sow discord between Wike and Atiku so that Wike would work for Tinubu.

But if Atiku truly said that, then pride truly goeth before a fall.

Atiku never said that

Even if na local council he still won't say such because politics is about the more the merrier.

Btw he won't say so if he has been talking of meeting wike since and actually met him

seunmsg:
Wike should make up his mind quickly and stop dragging the issue unnecessarily. Even if he supports Atiku at this point, he will still deal with him ruthlessly after the election. In fact, so many PDP members are merely tolerating Wike. They can’t wait to cut him to size after the election. I don’t see a political future for him in PDP again.

Yea, he would join the winning team Peter Obi.Apc also have nothing to offer him with ameachi in rivers

Wike or not I think Atiku will never get a grip of the south south or south east

Ok