Fate of leading opposition party, People’s Democratic Party, PDP, appears to rest on whether Adamawa State governor, Umaru Fintiri, and other stakeholders of the party are able to placate Nyesom Wike, governor, Rivers State, the man credited to have largely contributed to survival of the party in the last seven years of being in opposition.
Truthlive.net learnt that the governor has planned a decisive parley along with governors elected under the party in Adamawa to reconcile Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the party with Wike, who appears to be a rallying point in a legitimate request on power shift to the south after an eight year rule by the North.
Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State visited Governor Wike in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last Thursday as a way of placating Wike, who not only felt jilted by what is largely percieved as an ochestartion by Northern politicians to deny Wike the party ticket to run as president.
Fintiri, also serving as chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee, had said the committee will achieve the desired result for the success of the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
He also disclosed that Nigerians will not forgive PDP if it failed to produce the next President, considering what he described as the rudderless nature of the Nigerian state under APC.
The online newspaper learnt from a close source knowledgeable on the inner workings of PDP, that the governors elected on the party platform will meet this week in Adamawa State to resolve the protracted rift between Atiku and Wike.
Speaking on the crisis, the source said: “I do not see it as a rift. I know there are plans by Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State to host the PDP Governors’ Forum in his state.
“I do not know whether they have fixed the date yet, but it is going to be within this week or next week. The governors will meet and discuss issues at that level as part of the reconciliation efforts,” the source said.
According to him, the parley stands a very strong possibility of success because Fintiri seen as neutral person in the ongoing feud that has pitted Atiku against Wike.
“I am aware the governors are talking among themselves and as you know, they hold their meetings from one state to another.
“Fintiri has not hosted and this is his turn to host and I can tell you authoritatively that the governors are talking among themselves about the need to hold that meeting urgently.
The newspaper source also said that the Rivers State governor is not aversed to peace on the matter.
“Wike is disposed to peace. If you look at his position, he has said that the problem is not Atiku but the people around Atiku. Whether that is true or false, that is his position,” the source added.