Lamido: There is no basis for reconciliation because no one has offended Wike.

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa State, yesterday rejected the notion of a reconciliation between Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, and Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate. No one, according to Lamido, had insulted the enraged governor of the oil-rich state.

Wike, who frequently took pride in his alleged control of Rivers State, received a subtle warning from the former foreign affairs minister that being governor does not imply that he also has monopoly over the state.

However, Atiku and Wike were scheduled to meet in Paris as part of efforts to address the post-presidential primary issue that is threatening the PDP. That occurred amid rumors that Wike was already having fun with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APCpresidential )’s nominee.

Speaking on the Channels Television show Politics Today, the former governor of Jigawa State said that Wike had been insulted by the convention, not any particular person, and that PDP should leave him alone.

Lamido compared Wike to an emperor in Rivers and claimed that individuals who had already paid the governor a visit as part of an effort to mend fences between him and Atiku were well-wishers who paid him a visit on their own terms.

“Listen, understand this very well, those that met are merely good-wishers,” Lamido said. They are supporters of Atiku and Wike who are unknown to the party.

“Now, a candidate who won the primaries was produced by the convention. If anyone was offended, it was the convention and not Atiku, the party chairman, or anyone else.

“There is a problem if he attacks the convention that produced him as governor on two separate occasions as well as his candidate for governor and other positions in Rivers State. Therefore, no one has offended anyone.

“Atiku supporters who desire harmony in the PDP are those who are meeting with Wike. They support Atiku as a person, not as a candidate, rather than the PDP. Wike is a PDP member, but if he wants to make amends, with whom is that to be done? Who insulted who?

Lamido responded, “Wike is an individual, I don’t think, because he is a governor there, he has a whole monopoly of the entire Rivers State. When asked if he was certain Wike would not defect from the party or work against Atiku in the election the following year.

He was too blustery. Which of the following will he permit? “I will not allow this, I will not allow this.” Leave Wike alone, please. He is free to carry out his wishes. He is Rivers’ ruler and is just bluffing when he speaks.

On the other hand, a dependable source told Tracknews that the choice to meet in Paris was made in order to keep the peace meeting private and tension-free.

Following his attendance at the 62nd Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Lagos, it was learned that Atiku left Nigeria yesterday.

According to information obtained by Track News , the meeting in Paris was required as a result of the failure of the peace negotiations between the Atiku and Wike camps last Friday in Port Harcourt.

If everything goes according to plan, Atiku and Wike will meet in person for the second time since the crisis began. Wike is the governor of Rivers State.

The argument arose after the PDP presidential primary, which Wike thought he was certain to win barring an alleged gang-up he believed to emanate from the party’s very top. The first meeting took place in Abuja at the private residence of Jerry Gana, a former minister of information.

Atiku intervened personally to try to resolve the main points of contention because the crisis currently seems unsolvable. If their supporters were present during the meeting remained unknown.

It was heard that Wike’s side insisted that Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP’s national chairman, resign as a prerequisite for further engagement.

Olusegun Mimiko, a former governor of Ondo State, had headed the Wike team during the meeting, while Ahmadu Fintiri, the governor of Adamawa State, had led the Atiku team.

The conclusion of their recent meeting in Port Harcourt was already public. Ayu must depart was stated as a prerequisite for settlement, and parties were instructed to speak with their principals once again for more conversation.

“By connotations, it only indicates that the meeting has reached a standstill. Although Atiku’s staff agreed to inform their principal of Wike’s position and respond,

In addition to Mimiko, Wike was represented at the conference by former governors Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, Donald Duke of Cross River, and Bello Adoke of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Eyitayo Jegede, a previous PDP candidate for governor of Ondo State, and Aliyu Ndabawa, a former senior special assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, were on Fintiri’s team, which headed the Atiku camp.

“Yes, we are aware that Nigerians are anxious and waiting for us to take over in 2023,” Fintiri remarked following the meeting. We have open discussions after meeting as political family members and leaders. We will carry on with it as we work on it.

According to Mimiko, this is a process of reconciliation. We will continue to address the problems that have been discussed.

Track News learned that the Wike camp’s primary concern was the issue of inclusivity. He declared that the electioneering, which is anticipated to begin on September 29, should involve all of his supporters.

To enable the party to call the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and ratify the membership of the presidential campaign council of the party, a PDP source stated, “We are waiting for a green light from the reconciliatory camps.”

Track News was informed last Thursday that the PDP National Working Committee urged Ayu to speak with Wike in order to resolve the situation at the meeting.

Several NWC members offered to accompany Ayu to see Wike as a team, according to a source at the meeting, but Ayu rejected the idea of either going to see Wike or speaking to him.

The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has not resigned and does not intend to do so, according to a written statement released by Ayu’s media office last week. He was chosen to a four-year term to emphasize clarity.

After the presidential convention, Ayu described Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State, as the convention’s hero for stepping down at the last minute to support Atiku, giving him the victory. This caused tension between Ayu and Wike.