Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday attended the National Caucus meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.
The duo, who sought the presidential ticket of the party for the 2023 election, were among stakeholders at the meeting held at Bauchi Governors’ lodge behind ECOWAS secretariat in Asokoro.
Ex-Vice-President Namadi Sambo seated in between Atiku and Wike at the meeting.
Wike was sighted exchanging pleasantries with Smabo while Atiku looked away.
It was unclear if both men had greeted each other earlier.
Wike fell out with Atiku after the latter won the party’s ticket and overlooked him as running mate, settling for ex-Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
All efforts to reconcile them ended in deadlock and Wike eventually worked for President Bola Tinubu, Atiku’s main rival in the election.
Apparently to compensate him, Tinubu chose Wike as minister and his acceptance further deepened the divide in the party.
The perceived inaction of Ambassador Iliya Damagum, acting National Chairman of the PDP, to suspend Wike over alleged anti-party activities contributed to the heat which he is currently facing.
Some key members of the opposition party are demanding the removal of Damagum and suspension of Wike.
No doubt the issue of Wike and Damagum would dominate discussion at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for today ( Thursday).
While commenting on Damagum’s fate at the end of their meeting, which held earlier, PDP governors said the NEC of the party will determine if he would leave or continue in office.
Governors were among those present at the National Caucus meeting.
As at the time of filing this report, former caretaker chairman of the party; Ahmed Makarfi; former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, Abba Moro, a serving senator, were among those attending the meeting.
Maina Waziri, Debo Ologunagba, Aminu Tambuwal, Udom Emmanuel, Seriake Dickson, Sule Lamido, Jonah Jang, were also in attendance.
