Obi, Wike meet in Rivers over 2023 elections

Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi, yesterday, held a closed-door meeting with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, at Government House, Port Harcourt.

The Guardian gathered the meeting was aimed at strategising for the 2023 elections.

Although the agenda for the meeting was not made public as journalists were not allowed to cover it and neither Obi nor Wike briefed the media after the meeting, it was speculated that Obi, who is already gaining support from Nigerian youths, deemed it necessary to woo Wike ahead of the election.

It was also gathered that following the loss Wike suffered in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary and failure to emerge as running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the party’s 2023 standard-bearer, he may be plotting to dump PDP.

Some aggrieved members of PDP had lamented that despite the advisory committee set up by the party favouring Wike for the vice-presidential slot, Atiku opted for the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, whom he felt was level-headed and had the right temperament to push up his ticket.

Following the rejection of Wike, The Guardian learnt that some party chiefs in South-South had dumped PDP amid a crisis in the party.

But the PDP has set up a committee to pacify and woo Wike and other aggrieved members in Rivers State.

The initiative, it was learned, would unite the party and garner support for Atiku’s presidency, though Wike had earlier vowed he would not leave the party, whether he wins or not.

Contacted, Wike’s Special Media Assistant, Kelvin Ebiri, said the meeting was only a closed-door meeting while Obi’s media aide, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, did not pick up his calls.