Wike’s Meeting With Umahi, Ayade, Ikpeazu In Rivers Raises Eyebrows  

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Wednesday night met with Governors David Umahi and Ben Ayade of Ebonyi and Cross River States who are both of the All Progressives Congress (APC) heightening prospects of his likely alliance with the ruling party ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Present at the close door meeting was the Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.

Although details of the meeting are yet to emerge, LEADERSHIP gathered that Umahi and Ayade, who joined the APC after dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were in the state to woo Wike and Ikpeazu into the APC.

“The mission of the duo is not known yet, but there are feelings that they may be mounting pressure on Wike to join the APC,” a source said.

Recall that Wike had while inaugurating the party’s campaign council in Rivers State, declared that he wouldn’t campaign for the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, because he didn’t consult him before appointing Rivers State members in the presidential campaign council.

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Before then however, Wike, Ikpeazu, and three other PDP governors namely, Seyi Makinde of Oyo; Samuel Ortom of Benue and Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, had said they won’t be involved in campaigning for the presidential candidate of their party, Atiku Abubakar unless the party national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu resigns and a southerner takes the position.

They insist on the emergence of a Southerner PDP national chairman to ensure regional balancing in the party’s hierarchy.