Connect with us

Politics

Atiku shunned Jonathan’s appeal to support 2015 re-election bid – Wike

Published

on

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Tuesday the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, turned down former President Goodluck Jonathan’s appeal to support his re-election bid in 2015.

The governor stated this when the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, commissioned the Akpabu-Itu-Umudiogha road in the Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers.

Wike’s statement came a few days after the former Vice President and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, visited the former Nigerian leader at his Abuja residence.

READ ALSO: Wike finally dumps Atiku? Pledges support for Peter Obi’s campaign

Jonathan, who was defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari in that year’s election, had last week dismissed insinuations that the five aggrieved governors in the PDP were fighting his cause.

Wike and Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) have refused to take part in the PDP 2023 presidential election campaign over the refusal of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, who is enjoying the support of Atiku, to step down from the role.

The governors met in Lagos at the weekend and reaffirmed their commitment to reconciliation in the party.

However, Wike’s latest statement may have ended the party leaders’ hope of having the Rivers governor on his campaign train ahead of next year’s election.

He said: “Jonathan travelled to the Dorchester Hotel in London to meet Atiku but rather, the former Vice President told Jonathan to relinquish his ticket to him in 2015.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now