The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP )’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is rumored to be planning a trip to Benue State to meet with Governor Samuel Ortom, which could make it more difficult for the feuding factions to find common ground.
According to information , Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State, and the governor of Benue, who is the chairman of the G-5 governors, met last weekend in Makurdi.
According to reports, Tambuwal promoted the notion that there is still hope for the protracted situation to be resolved before the elections.
Ortom, who is also the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council and the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, asked Tambuwal to get in touch with the other governors who are a part of the Integrity Group.
Findings demonstrated that, despite the fact that Ortom valued the visitor’s presence, he made it clear to him that he could not make decisions for the G-5 by himself. Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Uguanyi are the other members of the Integrity Group, which also includes Wike as chairman (Enugu).
“Tambuwal came to seek reconciliation with Governor Ortom, but Ortom told him he cannot take any decision on his own, that he should meet with Wike and the other members of the G-5,” a source with knowledge of the conversation told the Nigerian Tribune.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous due to a lack of authority to speak about the situation, also revealed that plans would be made to host Tambuwal and the PDP flag bearer in Makurdi before Christmas as part of the ongoing attempt to bring about peace in the main opposition party.
Atiku and Okowa, who is running alongside him, stormed the Makurdi Airport on Monday without giving Governor Ortom any advance warning. They passed by there en route to Lafia, Nasarawa State, where the presidential rally was being held.
While Atiku was on his way to campaign in Nasarawa State on Monday, there was some minor drama at the airport in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, when the campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the state governor, Samuel Ortom, along with his colleague in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, had a brief encounter.
According to Channels Television, Atiku chose to fly to Benue since he was unable to obtain a landing clearance in Nasarawa.
The brief meeting took place just 24 hours after Atiku claimed to have met with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to address the ongoing turmoil inside the party without a solution.
Atiku said: “I have personally met Wike twice in Port Harcourt, twice in Abuja, and once in London” on Sunday at the People’s Town Hall.
Without going into the specifics of his conversations with the Rivers governor, he stated, “It is not on my part; it is on the other side; I am waiting for him. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Atiku’s running mate, and I on the program.
Wike and the other four governors who make up the Integrity Group reiterated last week that there was still room for amicable resolution of the disagreement with PDP national leadership. According to the story, Governor Ortom arrived at the airport approximately 20 minutes prior to his arrival, and many assumed he was there to meet the PDP presidential candidate.
But approximately five minutes later, Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, a PDP vice-presidential candidate, arrived at the airport and greeted Ortom.
“So, you folks will come to my state without telling me,” the latter was overheard jokingly requesting. A few seconds later, a plane touched down, and Ortom quickly walked over to it to greet whoever or whatever was on board—who turned out to be Governor Wike.
The two governors embraced and greeted each other before quickly getting into their car and driving away. Atiku arrived at the airport with members of the Presidential Campaign Council and Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP national chairman, 20 minutes later.
