Four days after the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, met and agreed on a framework for finding the differences between them, the gap between the two gladiators appears to be worsening, as their supporters keep driving a wedge in between.
They had reached an understanding on Thursday at a meeting in Abuja. That was the first time the two leaders would be meeting since Atiku overlooked Wike and appointed Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the February 2023 presidential election.
It, however, emerged that PDP, yesterday, postponed its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting because some were pushing for conditions that may be hard to deliver, including the removal of its National Chairman, Iyorcha Ayu.
It was declared also that Atiku would not be available for the meeting, but an insider in the Atiku camp informed the media last night that the party’s candidate was prepared for the NEC meeting.
Even though the party said it postponed its NEC meeting earlier scheduled held on Wednesday and Thursday this week due to unexpected circumstances, a source in the party said the meeting cannot hold without the presidential candidate and many other stakeholders.
The statement signed by the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, reads: “This is to inform all members of the PDP National Caucus and NEC that the meetings of the two bodies earlier scheduled for Wednesday, August 10, and Thursday, August 11, respectively, have been postponed. The postponement is due to unforeseen circumstances. A new date will be announced in due course. All inconveniences are deeply regretted.”
It was, however, compiled through a source that the absence of Atiku and some party leaders, who may not be present at the meeting because of other engagements, informed the postponement.