PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar met with Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike in London on Thursday.
The former vice president was accompanied to the meeting by Adamawa State governor Ahmadu Fintiri.
Wike’s loyalists, including governors Seyi Makinde, Oyo, Samuel Ortom, Benue and Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia, were also present.
A former Cross River State governor Donald Duke was equally involved in the talks.
Details of the meeting remain sketchy, but it might not be unconnected with the 2023 presidential election.
Wike has been at loggerheads with Atiku’s camp since the party’s primaries in March.
The meeting came hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi met Wike and his men, also in London.
All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu had earlier met Wike in London on Monday.
Meanwhile, Atiku has asked his supporters to stop making comments that would portray the PDP as a divided family and which could also reduce the chances of the party in next year’s election.
Particularly, he also urged his loyalists to stop media attacks on Wike and his men.
Atiku, in a statement on Thursday by his spokesperson Paul Ibe, said the media attacks could compromise ongoing efforts to resolve the festering rift between him and Wike.
“It has become imperative to appeal to all party members, leaders and everyone related to, connected with or associated with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, to desist from making comments that potentially reduce the optics of PDP’s image as a united political party,” he said.
“This appeal becomes necessary in order to call the attention of party leaders and members to the diversionary antics of the ruling All Progressives Congress which, in manufacturing a false impression of division within the PDP, aims to hoodwink the Nigerian public to overlook the monumental failures of the ruling party.”
“Today, Nigerians look up to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lead the charge in ousting the ruling party. This expectation from the people is the reason why the APC is jittery of their impending fall in next year’s general election. It is also the very reason why the ruling party is manipulating the political process to create a sense of division in the PDP.
“Because they know that there is nothing to campaign with from their records of performance in office, the APC has elected to play the role of the devil’s advocate, regaling in celebration of their imaginary invincibility upon a fraudulent claim that the PDP is divided.
“It is for this reason that we appeal to every true member of the PDP and anyone who truly wishes the success of the PDP presidential candidate to not fall for the antics of the APC in making statements that could give credence to the false claim of divisions in the PDP.
“All the leaders of the party, including especially the governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Nyesom Wike and all governors of the PDP are united in working for the victory of the PDP in next year’s general election across board.
“What is at stake in the next year’s election is the future of Nigeria and all leaders and members of the PDP are on the same page in the mission to rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of the APC.”
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