The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on Monday, held a closed-door meeting with Governor Nyesom Wike after the party’s just-concluded presidential primaries.
There are speculations that the meeting was to reconcile the two-party chieftains and give the PDP an edge in the 2023 presidential election against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also in attendance at the meeting were some of the stakeholders of the party, including former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Atiku had emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election at its convention held on Saturday at Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
Recall that former presidential aspirant and Governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, while speaking at the convention had announced his withdrawal from the race, urging his supporters to vote for Atiku.
This move had led to the emergence of Atiku, who polled a total of 371 votes against other aspirants, including Rivers Governor, Wike, who polled 237 votes.
Other aspirants in the race for the PDP presidential ticket were, Senate President Bukola Saraki, who polled 70 votes, followed by, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State with 38 votes, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State with 20 votes, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, 14 votes and an ex-President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa, 1 vote.
Meanwhile, the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu has lauded Tambuwal, for his role at the just-concluded presidential primary of the party.
Speaking during his visit to Tambuwal on Sunday, Ayu, who was in the company of some party chieftains, described him as “the hero of the convention.”
