The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu met with the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as part of efforts aimed to soliciting Wike’s support for the 2023 presidential poll.
To this end, the duo had a meeting in London on Monday as part of moves to work together ahead of the election.
It was gathered that some APC and Peoples Democratic Party governors also attended the crucial meeting.
Prior to the Monday meeting, the ruling party had attempted to cash in on the crisis in the PDP over the presidential primary won by former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, which left Wike aggrieved.
On July 8, three APC governors, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State visited Wike at his Rumueprikon country home in Port Harcourt, as part of moves to woo him.
Also present at the meeting was a former Ekiti governor and PDP member, Ayodele Fayose.
It could be recalled that the PDP set up a reconciliation panel to resolve the crisis between Atiku and Wike. The crisis began after the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, emerged as Atiku’s running mate.
After several postponements, the panel met Wike in Port Harcourt last Friday but the meeting ended in a stalemate following the insistence of the Rivers State governor on the removal of the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, over the role he played in the emergence of the former vice-president as the party standard -bearer.
Sources at the meeting disclosed that Wike’s representatives at the meeting said Ayu could not be an impartial chairman because he took sides during the special convention.
It was gathered that the failure of the reconciliation panel to assuage Wike’s anger had put Atiku’s peace moves on a shaky ground, leaving room for Tinubu to court the governor.
Confirming the meeting between Wike and the APC presidential candidate, a source in Tinubu’s camp said the parley was held in London.
He stated, “Governors Sanwo-Olu and Fayemi were equally part of the delegation. Contrary to what some online media are speculating, the meeting was held in London yesterday (Monday).’’
Asked if an agreement was struck, the source said he could not confirm because the full details had not been disclosed to him.