Atiku sends 3 member delegation to Port Harcourt to meet with Wike

A three-member delegation dispatched by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar arrived in Port Harcourt on Thursday evening for a meeting on Friday with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and its allies in the crisis that is shaking the opposition party.

The delegation led by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri includes a former party governor candidate in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, and Akilu Indabawa, a former special adviser on the political questions of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Atiku sent the delegation after a 14-member committee he set up with Mr. Wike to explore grounds for reconciliation between the two men failed to meet as scheduled on Monday.

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Premium Times reported that the reunion did not take place due to disagreement over the venue. While the committee members appointed by Atiku wanted the committee to sit in Abuja, Mr. Wike's team insisted on Port Harcourt.

Following the deadlock, the committee postponed the meeting to Friday, although there was still no agreement on the venue.

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However, to demonstrate his commitment to reconciliation with Mr. Wike, Atiku dispatched the reduced delegation on Thursday to meet with the seven representatives of the governor's camp who had been in Port Harcourt since Monday.

A source within the delegation told PREMIUM TIMES Thursday night that they were well received by the Governor's people and that preparations are underway for tomorrow's meeting.

“We have received very positive signals from them and we are more confident than ever that this crisis will soon be resolved,” the source said.

On why Atiku reduced the size of the delegation, the source said, "You know, in cases like this, too many cooks can spoil the broth. It's an intra-party crisis. and Waziri believes reconciliation can best be done by a compact team."

Past

Mr. Wike came second to Atiku in the PDP presidential primary held in Abuja on May 29, but has since refused to pledge his commitment to the candidate's success in the general elections.

Governor de Rivers had been aggrieved by some developments at the national convention that he said contributed to his defeat in the primary.

He was further angered by how Atiku neglected him to choose Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

Many party leaders unhappy with the imbalance in the party's national leadership have joined Mr. Wike in demanding that the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, stand down for a replacement from the southern zone.

This issue and how to entice Mr. Wike into the Atiku campaigns will be at the top of the agenda for tomorrow's reconciliation meeting.

The meeting will submit its report to Atiku and the Governor.

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