Atiku set to meet Wike in London today

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is set to meet with Rivers State Governor Nyelsom Wike in London today in a renewed effort to resolve the rift between them and prevent the governor from ditching the PDP family for a rival party, All Progressives Congress, a reliable source within the Atiku camp has hinted.

Atiku’s media aide, Mr Paul Ibe, who confirmed that his principal is already in Europe for a “business meeting” however said he was not sure if Atiku would have any political meeting with Wike during the visit.

Wike had met with Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the APC in the United Kingdom, a meeting reportedly meant to woo the Rivers governor ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Two PDP governors, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State were reported to have attended the meeting with Wike.

The meeting also caused anxiety in the PDP as Wike’s romance with political figures in the ruling party intensifies the crisis in the opposition party.

Wike has been at loggerheads with Atiku since he lost the party’s 2023 presidential ticket to the former Vice President in May.

His problem with the party was compounded when Atiku rejected him and picked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate for the upcoming election.

Since then, Wike has been hobnobbing with leaders of the ruling party to spite the PDP.

The meeting with Tinubu on Monday was the latest move by the Rivers governor to hurt the PDP leadership.

However, in a bid to win him back to the PDP and get his full support for the party for the 2023 elections, Atiku is said to be willing to meet with the governor today in London.

According to Daily Trust, one of the sources close to both Atiku and Wike said the meeting would determine whether the two leaders of the party could work together or not for the coming elections.

Atiku’s media aide, Ibe, said, “His Excellency travelled to Europe on Monday after participating in the opening ceremony and plenary of the NBA Annual General Conference for a business meeting,” Ibe said.