By Seyi Odewale
The much anticipated reconciliation meeting between the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been slated to take place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, today (Monday), ThisNigeria learnt authoritatively yesterday.
The move is part of the initiatives to reconcile Atiku Wike who came second at the party’s presidential primaries last June.
According to a member of the House of Representatives, representing Rivers State, Solomon Bob, the rift between Atiku Abubakar and Governor Nyesom Wike was triggered by disinformation, adding that it was the disinformation put out by “Atiku’s men” before and after the party’s primary that contributed to the crisis that rocked the party.
Some of the disinformation, he said, included the claim that the governor was unsatisfied with results of the party’s primary and wanted to be named the running mate of the presidential candidate.
However, efforts are being made to reconcile the two gladiators in the interest of the party as it is being rumoured that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is making overtures to the oil-rich governor of the south-south state.
To forestall a possible loss of Wike, who the party sees as being aggrieved, the party flagbearer, after a recent meeting with Governor Wike in Abuja, constituted a team to negotiate with the Rivers governor.
Atiku appointed Fintiri to lead his reconciliatory team. Fintiri had told journalists at the Yola International Airport at the weekend that he was appointed as chairman of the reconciliation committee set up by the former vice president.
The governor, who said he appeared as the right man for the assignment, exuded optimism that he would reach a truce between Atiku and Wike.
As part of Fintiri’s assignment when the meeting holds today, it was learnt, will be to reconcile the supporters of Atiku and those of Wike. It would be recalled that Governor Fintiri was in Port Harcourt last Thursday to meet with Wike, and he left on Friday.
The meeting, it was gathered, was to prepare grounds for the reconciliation.
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The meeting, which will take place in Port Harcourt, will be attended by six members each from Atiku and Wike’s camps. The six members are to represent the six geo-political zones in the country.
*Fintiri; Waziri; Imoke, three others lead Atiku’s team *Adoke, Gana, Mimiko, Dankwanbo, two others to represent Wike
Those, who are likely to represent Atiku at today’s meeting with Wike’s team in Port Harcourt are Fintiri; a former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Waziri; former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, and a former PDP governorship candidate in Ondo State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), among three others, whose names could not be ascertained.
Wike’s camp will be represented at the meeting by a former Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana; former governor of Ondo State, Mr Olusegun Mimiko and former Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwanbo, among others.
