The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been solidifying its structure ahead of the 2023 presidential polls with the winner of the PDP primaries, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar holding parleys with the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
Mr Abubakar, who showed up at the governor’s Asokoro residence at about 10 a.m. on Monday, said he was there to thank him and other contenders for the competition.
Mr Wike was one of the top contenders in the party’s primary on Saturday. He scored 237 votes, closely behind Mr Abubakar who scored 371 votes to win the election.
Those who accompanied Mr Abubakar were former Minister of Police, Adamu Waziri; Tunde Ayeni, a businessman and an ex-lawmaker, Ehigie Uzamere.
While those present to receive Mr Abubakar were former Attorney-General, Mohammed Adoke; a PDP chieftain, Dan Obi; co-presidential aspirant, Ayo Fayose; chief of staff to the governor, among others.
Mr Abubakar’s visit came hours after he paid a similar courtesy call to Mr. Aminu Tambuwal whose withdrawal from the race was a major factor that gave Abubakar victory.
While PDP appears to be unifying the party ahead of the polls, All Progressives Congress (APC) remains in a quagmire as President Muhammadu Buhari has told the party’s governors that he will choose the presidential candidate that would unify Nigeria and enhance the party’s chances of retaining presidency.
Buhari’s choice of presidential candidate is likely to unsettle the APC as the President met with the 22 APC governors, where he announced to them he would once again, provide leadership ahead of the party’s presidential primary next Monday.
At the meeting, President Buhari stated the factors he would consider in supporting a presidential candidate among the 23 persons seeking to fly APC’s flag. “Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections so that the party could retain power at the centre,” he said.
The governors who met with the President at the Council Chambers of the State House, shunned newsmen, who approached them for the outcome of their closed-door meeting.
While the governors of Imo, Hope Uzodinma; Ogun, Dapo Abiodun and Kano, Abdulahi Ganduje, were seen discussing with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, outside the council chambers, the other governors also ignored media overtures, as they filed out of the State House immediately the meeting ended
Meanwhile, former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, who emerged as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, appears to be gaining momentum in the 2023 general elections.
Obi has begun courting traders, labour unions and other critical groups in the nation.
