There is no doubt that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is keen on reclaiming power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but the battle of supremacy between the Presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, if left unresolved, may affect the party’s chances in the 2023 presidential election.

Though, there have been several moves to resolve the differences between the two gladiators but every attempt to get the issues resolved seems to have proved abortive.

Recently, Atiku was said to have sent an emissary to Wike in a move to pacify the Rivers State governor but the delegate was said to have departed Port Harcourt empty handed.

Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, as it was gathered, arrived at the Rivers State capital last Thursday at the behest of the former vice president to pacify Wike.

Fintiri left Port Harcourt on Friday morning and told reporters in Yola, the Adamawa State capital that progress was being made in the reconciliation process.

“I have just returned from Rivers State where I met with my brother, Governor Wike and I can assure you that we have started talking and very soon we’ll be crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s.

“Politics is all about discussions, meetings, give and take; and I can assure you that the reconciliation process is going well and PDP will come out of it successfully.

“We are focused and the reconciliation is up and progressing. I am the chairman of the reconciliation committee between Atiku and Wike on Atiku’s side, and I can assure you that we will get over it very soon.

“I am in a good position to help resolve the disagreement between Atiku and Wike because I am an embodiment of both men.”

Fintiri also spoke of encouraging signs from the Port Harcourt meeting but conceded that the task was a difficult one.

Wike, according to him, has contributed enormously to the growth of the PDP and wondered whether the Rivers State governor would allow all his contribution to the party go down the drain if he failed to support Atiku for the 2023 polls or dump the PDP for APC.

“Who are his friends in the APC? Are you telling me those who are now romancing Wike love him?

“I can assure you that with God, the party will put its house in order before the 2023 elections.

“Even Wike knows he has been by far the biggest investor in the party. Can he now walk away from all of his investment?

“We recognise he loves his people and I can assure you that he will have a fair deal if it comes to that, just to put the crisis behind us,” the governor stated.

However, there are claims from sources that the governor may be hiding so many facts from details of his visit to Port Harcourt.

According to a source, the meeting did not achieve much because while it was ongoing some anti-Wike forces in Atiku’s camp scripted a report that the governor had removed all PDP flags in the Government House.

“Fintiri is Wike’s friend. Atiku sent him on Thursday to talk to the governor. They met behind closed doors. But you know that day something happened: the same anti-Wike forces in Atiku’s camp sponsored a post on social media that the governor ordered his CSO to pull down all PDP flags in Government House.

“I don’t think the meeting achieved its desired results and that was why the governor spoke out on Friday. Fintiri left the state on Friday morning. So, everyday people behind Atiku are widening the crack and these people are very close to Atiku.”

The source said it was the same complaint the governor made to Atiku when both of them met recently in the Abuja home of a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana.

“But I believe that soon they will find common ground to resolve their differences. Atiku should do more in calling his attack dogs to order,” he said.

The party chieftains and stakeholders have continued to express worry over the disagreement between the duo and they have urged the duo to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign in the interest of the party.

A chieftain of the party who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The crisis is not unusual in any party. But I have the confidence that it will be resolved and the party members will move on in peace. It is not a matter of Atiku paying a visit to Wike.

“This is a matter of the ability of the elders of the party and leaders of the party to do the right thing. If the party could survive the Sheriff ’s era, it can resolve any issue that comes.

“I believe that the governor and the other leaders of the party, especially the presidential candidate will be able to find a common ground and many party members believe that too. Both aggrieved parties have good intentions for the survival of the PDP.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, former deputy National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the PDP, Chief Bode George urged Wike and Atiku, to sheath their swords for the good of the party in the 2023 general election.

George condemned what he described as arrogance, name-callings and innuendos between the two and their supporters.

He told Wike to emulate him, by making sacrifices for the party, saying, though he aspired to serve as national chairman, he had to bury the ambition when it was not zoned to the Southwest, contrary to the expectation of party faithful in the region.

George called for dialogue and peace in the party, saying that the warring chieftains should calm down, just as he urged Wike to maintain an abiding interest and fidelity to the PDP, stressing that it is still the best in terms of national outlook, format and reputation.

George said politicians should bear in mind that “in politics, you win some, you lose some.”

The former Deputy Chairman also advised Atiku not to relent in continuous consultations and reconciliation because it is in his interest and the collective interest of the party.

However, the party may find it difficult to achieve any success, if the issue between Atiku and Wike is not resolved before the general elections.

Another source who referred to the statement made by Wike about Atiku last Friday during the inauguration of the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters, said the tone of the governor on that day did not suggest in any way that both camps had made up.

Among other things, Wike said: “I have kept quiet and busy delivering dividends of democracy for my party to win election; people are busy plotting how they will win election, but others are busy trying to see how they will lose election.

“If they lose election, nobody should call my name. I have told the candidate, you will lose this election and you will win this election because of the people around you. Anybody who knows me knows that if I was going to court, I would have gone to court within two weeks after the primaries because it is a pre-election matter and after two weeks you can’t go to the court.

“The legal adviser of the party called me and I told him you know there is mischief going on; you know me very well, if I am going to court, it is not those kind of lawyers I would have used and I don’t even know the lawyers. I want to tell the candidate (Atiku), that it is his group that is doing all these things. Let the world hear.

“They are the ones plotting all these things thinking that they would spoil my name. You cannot. The other day, they said I removed all PDP flags in Government House. We are supposed to be talking about how you will win election, not about these people. They are not doing him any favour, rather they are trying to make him not to win election. But if that is what they want, I wish them good luck.

“But after my commissioning of projects, nobody should say Wike has started. When I start, I have been on my own, they are looking for my trouble. Allow peace to reign. If you say your mother will not sleep, you too will not sleep at the appropriate time.

“I told Atiku the other day, all these governors you think are good with you, what happened in 2019? Nobody wants to say the truth. Today instead of plotting how to win an election, they are talking about Wike. Wike is not important, why are you worried? Allow Wike to rest, (Daily Independent: Text, excluding headline)

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