Atiku moves to break Wike’s ranks, reaches out to allies

Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his team have perfected plans to break the ranks of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

According to Vanguard, strong indications emerged that Wike and those sympathetic to his cause may be settling for former Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, as a replacement for the PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, if their plans scale through.

Atiku and Wike have been engaged in a feud over the removal of Senator Ayu.

Recall that the Rivers State governor has vowed not to quit the PDP over his feud with the former Vice President and Ayu, insisting that he would remain in the party and fight for relevance.

Similarly, some of Wike’s allies including Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), had announced their withdrawal from the PDP Presidential Campaign Council pending the replacement of Ayu as chairman.

Other members of the group are former PDP deputy national chairman, Olabode George, Donald Duke, Ayo Fayose, Ibrahim Dakwanmbo, Segun Mimiko, Jonah Jang, and former governors of Cross River, Ekiti, Gombe, Ondo and Plateau state, respectively, amongst others.

Multiple sources informed Vanguard that the PDP presidential candidate and leaders of the party are already reaching out to Wike’s allies with a view to prevailing on them to sheathe their swords and work for the success of the PDP in 2023.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “There is general thinking in the party that Wike has nothing to lose and his so-called allies have something to lose, while some of them have nothing at stake.

“There is a thinking in the party that those who have something at stake can be cultivated.

“And you know, this is a delicate thing, delicate in the sense that those individuals do not want to turn against Wike in a dramatic way. They know he can say things about them.”