Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo and Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos state on Thursday visited Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt.
The development is believed to be connected with the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resulting from the nomination of Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the main opposition party for the 2023 presidential election.
Wike was seen teasing his colleagues when they arrived.
The fiery Rivers Governor who lost the PDP presidential ticket to Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar met with the APC chieftains and others at his country home in the Port Harcourt area of the state on Friday.
The purpose of the visit by APC governors and the subsequent meeting with their host was largely to seek Wike’s support for the 2023 Presidential flagbearer of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A Reliable Source told this newspaper that Wike did not make any outright decision but said he would consider.
Prior to this there had been reports that the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and Wike met in France. The reports were, however, debunked by the former Lagos State governor’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, who described them as “fake news”.
However, the APC hopes to capitalize on the current rift between Wike and Atiku to woo him into the ruling party.
Speaking on the development, PDP Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said; “People called them APC governors; I classify them as Nigerian governors. They have a club of governors and they have been interacting. I expect that this is one of such interactions among governors so we don’t make any issue out of this.
“And I believe that they should be discussing issues of state especially against the backdrop of insecurity and the need for every hand to be on deck for the sustenance of this democracy and peace and stability of Nigeria.
“So if governors visit another governor I do not see anything wrong with that. I think it is part of measures towards ensuring that all hands are on deck and that they are working in the interest of Nigeria.
“We can only practise politics today. I don’t think any person can do politics in Ukraine today because there is war there. When we have a situation where hardened criminals with multiple blood on their hands escape in very suspicious circumstances that should give any person concern, especially governors because they are chief security officers in their states.
“And that could inform reasons for this visit on how they can come together and encourage the president against the backdrop of PDP’s call for urgent convocation of the National Council of State meeting which comprises former heads of state and governors. It has become imperative for the governors to work together across party lines.
“I think that is the issue. So we cannot look at everything from the point of politics. Politics is good but we can only play politics where there is peace and stability. So as a party we believe that governors have a forum where they meet and share ideas and all hands must be on deck irrespective of party leaning to ensure that the country survives,” he said.
•Text, except headline, courtesy of: Politics Nigeria
