2023: Tinubu, Wike parley in London

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has met with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, in London, the United Kingdom to woo the influential PDP governor to his camp ahead of the 2023 general election.

Tinubu and Wike reportedly met in London, on Monday, contrary to reports that the duo met in France on Tuesday.

Some APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors also attended the meeting, according to sundry media reports.

A source in Tinubu’s camp, confirmed the London meeting between Tinubu and Wike.

“Governors Sanwo-Olu and Fayemi were equally part of the delegation. Contrary to what some online media are speculating, the meeting was held in London yesterday (Monday),” PUNCH quoted the source to have said.

When asked if an agreement was reached at the meeting, the source said he could not confirm because he had yet to be aware of the full details if the parley.

“Don’t forget that Sanwo-Olu and Fayemi earlier went with Fayose and Akeredolu to see Wike in Port Harcourt on behalf of our principal. Definitely, something is going on between them.

“However, I may not be in a position to tell whether there was a sort of MoU or agreement between them,” the source added.

It would be recalled that three APC governors, Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), on July 8, visited Wike in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, as part of moves to woo him.

Also present at the meeting was a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

It would be recalled that since former Vice-president Atiku Abubakar emerged as the PDP presidential candidate, the opposition party has been embroiled in crises.

The crises became worsened after Atiku named Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election at the expense of Wike who was chosen by a 17-man committee set up by Atiku Abubakar himself.

Many had expected Wike, who came second in the party’s presidential primary election, to be chosen as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

Governor Wike and his associates later demanded the resignation of Ayu as a condition for them to campaign for Atiku.

They said all top positions in the PDP were being occupied by northerners, noting that Ayu, who is from the North-Central, must resign as a concession to the South.

The supporters of the governor stressed that Atiku from North-East must honour his promise that once the party’s presidential standard-bearer emerged from the North, a southerner would be the national chairman.

The PDP had since set up a reconciliation panel to resolve the crisis between the former Vice-president and Wike.