Camp Wike – Governors, Ex-Governors – Meet With Him In Abuja; PDP Hopeful All Shall Be Well

By Gideon Njoku

For the first time since his loss, first, to Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, and, second to Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for the Vice Presidential slot, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, met with his Camp on Sunday.

The meeting which was held at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge, was attended by the creme of his supporters in his aspiration to the PDP Presidential ticket.

The Governors in attendance were Samuel Ortom, Benue, Seyi Makinde, Oyo, Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu.

Former Governors present were Senator Seriaki Dickson, Bayelsa,  Donald Duke, Cross River State, Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo, Ibrahim Idris, Kogj, Senator Jonah Jang, Plateau and Hassan Dankwambo, Gombe.

Other high profile attendees were member PDP Board of Trustees, Professor Jerry Gana, former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN,  Senator Suleiman Nazif, a former PDP National Vice Chairman, North, and a member of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Yusuf.

Wike, a Presidential aspirant, came a respectable second to Atiku Abubakar at the PDP Presidential Primary.

A 17- man member Committee set up by the candidate and the PDP to screen a running mate to Atiku, short-listed three people  – Wike, Okowa and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, Ortom, Wike came up tops with 14 out of the 17 votes.

But Atiku shunned Wike and picked Okowa to the anger and disappointment of Wike and his Camp. While they maintained the silence of the grave yard, Atiku worsened the already dicey situation during an interview with ARISE TV. Asked why he picked Okowa over Wike, he said he picked somebody he could work with amicably and somebody who, from day one, is a President-in-waiting and shared his dream of a new Nigeria.

Stung, Wike called Atiku a liar, and threatened to tell Nigerians the story of recent happenings in the PDP.

Since Okowa’s choice, things have not been the same in the PDP. There are fears that Wike could play a spoiler’s game in 2023, especially, as his private residence in Porthacourt has become a must-go-to for Presidential candidates and high profile members of other Political Parties including LP’s Peter Obi, NNPP’s Rabiu Kwankwaso and a strong delegation of the APC made up of three State Governors.

On Saturday, it was the turn of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to visit Wike.

Both are chieftains of the ruling APC, but presently disenchanted with the Party over its Muslim-Muslim Presidential ticket.

Speaking on behalf of the Wike Camp after the meeting in Abuja, Professor Gana told Journalists: “We know that developments will unfold and when they do, we shall brief Nigerians. We have met together for the first time after the Primaries of the PDP.

“We have frankly reviewed matters among ourselves. We want to confirm we are solidly together as a group.”

A PDP chieftain told this medium: “It is our fervent prayers that the group will fully come back to the Party. All issues will be sorted out. PDP is one family. And we are resolved to salvage our dear country.”