2023: Obasanjo joints hunt for Wike as Tinubu, Obi, Atiku take lobbying to London

London has become a beehive of activities lately as leading presidential candidates in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Nigeria have taken their intensified efforts to win the support of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State there.

Hours after former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Thursday, led the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to a meeting with Governor Wike and others in London, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar met Wike also in London.

The meetings came barely 24 hours after the All Progressive Congress (APC), Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu met with Wike and others in London.

Among those who attended the meeting with Atiku were Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ahmadu Fintri (Adamawa).

While details of the meeting facilitated by Obasanjo have are yet to be made public, there are indications that it is about next year’s general elections.

Others who attended the meeting were Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State; Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo; Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and a former Cross River governor, Donald Duke.

Multiple reports showed that the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde; Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, and Ikpeazu Okezie of Abia State also attended Tinubu’s meeting with Wike attended the meeting.

“We can confirm to you authoritatively that Wike and his team met with Tinubu in London to discuss a strategic alliance ahead of the 2023 presidential election,” the Director-General of the Asiwaju Project Beyond, a political support group for Tinubu, Realwan Okpanachi said.

“Both leaders appreciate the need to work together to ensure that Tinubu becomes the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.”

Days after the meeting with the APC flagbearer, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, flew to the UK to mend his frosty relationship with Wike.

Atiku’s camp did not make an official statement about the meeting but a source familiar with the matter who spoke to Channels Television did not rule out the Wike factor.

Since the PDP presidential primary, Wike has had a frosty relationship with the party especially its flagbearer, Atiku.

Attempts to resolve their differences have so far not yielded the desired results.

(Combined sources)