Fears grow within PDP that Wike may leave the party following his meeting with APC governors

FEARS are growing within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State might defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) after he met with several of their governors from the southwest geo-political zone last week.

In May, the PDP elected former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its flagbearer for next year's presidential election at its annual convention in Abuja. He has since picked Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate, which has caused some consternation in the Wike camp, as some party members expected him to be selected.

A PDP committee had drawn up a shortlist of potential running mates for Alhaji Abubakar that included Governor Wike, Governor Okowa and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. Atiku chose Governor Okowa of the three and there are now fears that Governor Wike might work against Atiku’s ambition following his loss.

On July 8, three APC governors led by the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi,  visited Governor Wike in Port Harcourt. Other governors on the entourage were Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who serves as the chairman of the South West Governors Forum.

Between the period of his declaration in March and the party’s presidential primary held on May 27 and 28, Governor Wike was of the optimistic that he would become the PDP flagbearer in next year's elections. However, the PDP ignored Section Three its own constitution and decided through a 37-member committee that the party would jettison its zoning formula, throwing the presidential ticket open, allowing Alhaji Abubakar to win it.

At the convention, Governor Wike came second with 237 votes while former vice president won the ticket with 371 votes. Shortly after that, a video began circulating all over social media, purporting that Governor Wike intends to defect from the PDP following his loss at the presidential primary election.

Governor Wike accused some PDP governors of betrayal for not fully supporting his ambition at the presidential primary. Later, Governor Wike’s hopes of becoming Atiku's running mate were dashed on June 16 when the former vice president picked Governor Okowa against the recommendation of the party’s advisory council.