Wike, Makinde, Ortom, Two Other PDP Govs Meet In Enugu

Five estranged governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, sympathetic to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, met behind closed-doors in Enugu on Sunday, to determine their next line of action.

The governors at the meeting included Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Samuel Ortom (Benue) and their Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike.

The governors, who arrived Akanu Ibiam International Airport, in Wike’s private jet, were received by their host, Governor Ugwuanyi.

They declined to speak to newsmen at the end of the meeting held at the Enugu Government House, but sources said the meeting provided an opportunity for them to consider their options following the renewed reconciliatory efforts initiated by PDP presidential candidate for the general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the party.

Atiku has also held a consultative meeting with PDP stakeholders both in the South-East and the SouthWest in the bid to resolve all the issues.

Those governors were not present at the recent inauguration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, but Wike met again with Atiku where he reportedly insisted that Senator Iyorchia Ayu should step aside as PDP national chairman.

Wike also hosted the Labour party candidate, Peter Obi, for the second time fuelling speculations that they may work together for the presidential bid of the former Anambra State governor.

In the same vein, Obi met with Makinde at the Oyo government house, Ibadan, behind closed doors, last week.

These meetings have fuelled speculations that the group of five PDP governors may work for Obi in the 2023 presidential election.

The meeting of the Wike group is coming against the background of the plan by the PDP to hold what one of the leaders described as a meeting of a select few of the party chieftains in the ongoing efforts to reconcile aggrieved camps.

The candidate of the party for the presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu; Governor Nyesom Wike, among other chieftains, are to hold ‘an all-inclusive meeting to resolve all outstanding issues’ in order to present a united front during the campaign for the general election.

The meeting is part of the outcome of consultations with zonal leaders of PDP embarked on by the chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Senator Adolphus Wabara over the faceoff between Wike and the PDP national leadership.

During the consultations, the Wabara team had met with the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Governor Okezie ikpeazu of Abia State.

The Wabara team was at Delta State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja for a meeting with the PDP presidential running mate and governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okonwa as part of the consultations as a prelude to the planned all-inclusive reconciliation meeting.

Wike and four other governors, who are demanding that Ayu should step aside as national chairman for a southerner to take charge, were absent during the inauguration of the PCC of the PDP last Monday in Abuja.

But, Atiku had said due process has to be followed if the chairman is to quit his position. Ayu had also explained that he has a four-year mandate having been elected at the national convention of PDP.