Wike, Obi In Closed Door Meeting; Defection Speculations Persist

By Adesina Soyooye

His recent political misfortunes in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, notwithstanding, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike is the go-to in the South-east and South-south politics.

Wike, to his shock, had lost the Presidential Primary of the PDP to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, coming a respectable second. His hope was, again, dashed when he was denied the Vice Presidential candidate in favour of Delta State Governor, Senator  Ifeanyi Okowa.

Wike has, uncharacteristically, been quiet since his loss of the VP slot but this magazine learnt that both the PDP and  the Atiku camp are making frantic efforts to appease him and bring him back, fully to the fold.

But Wike has remained very relevant in the PDP, especially because of his war chest and his aggressive manner of campaign. PDP cannot afford to lose Rivers State.

They may because other political parties are also after Wike. They want him.

On Saturday the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governor of Ebonyi State, another failed Presidential aspirant, Dave Umahi, visited Wike in Porthacourt. The two have not always been in good terms. They have had spats a couple of times. But, on Saturday, they had a three-hour closed door discussion. None of them made public what they discussed.

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022, it was the turn of Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Obi, the darling of millions of Nigerian Youths, was also in a closed door meeting with Wike. Both were Presidential aspirants under the PDP before Obi suddenly dumped the Party and defected to the LP.

There are speculations that Wike is  plotting to dump the PDP. But he has vehemently denied such speculations  insisting he is PDP for life.

Obi is, also, in serious discussion with the New Nigerian Peoples Party’s (NNPP) Presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Obi and Kwankwaso, both two time Governors of Anambra and Kano States, admit their discussions are going on smoothly. Not a few people say it could change the political architecture in the country if it works. Both the APC and PDP are nervous about it.