Contrary to assumptions in some quarters, the visit to the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike by the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was purely a private visit that had nothing to do with 2023 politics, ANAMBRA PEOPLE reports.
Obi’s visit to Gov. Wike’s Port Harcourt residence on Wednesday, had sparked reactions from a cross section of Nigerians with many alluding that it was intended to lure the governor to Labour Party ahead 2023.
The visit also came amidst speculations that Wike may dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), due to the fallout of the presidential primary of the party and the failure of the party’s presidential standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar, to pick him as his running mate for the 2023 general election.
Though the outcome of the meeting was not known, Obi tweeted about the meeting and posted pictures online where the two politicians were seen shaking hands in front of Governor Wike’s residence.
“Earlier today, I visited Port-Harcourt, to confer with H.E. @GovWike on vital issues of national interest,” Obi tweeted, signing off with his signature –PO.
We can confirm authoritatively that the visit was purely a private affair and was not in any way connected with next year’s election.
In fact, a source close to Obi, former Anambra state governor, Stated that the issue of Labour Party or 2023 politics was not discussed at the meeting.
He said, “It was just a private visit. It had nothing to do with Labour Party or 2023. He (Obi) was in Port Harcourt and got to know that the governor was around. In line with his broadmindedness and politics without bitterness, he considered it thoughtful and courteous to branch in and greet him. It was purely a private affair”.
Peter Obi’s visit came four days after the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi met with Governor Wike at about 9:00 pm behind closed doors.
The meeting also came days after Obi returned from Egypt where he went to “understudy by what miracle the third biggest economy in Africa after South Africa and Nigeria did to move their power generation from 20,000 megawatts to over 40,000 megawatts in four years,” a statement by his media office stated.
Eugene Onyeji
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