Obi visits Wike in Rivers amidst defection rumours

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, visited the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

The closed-door meeting lasted for a few hours at the governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt.

Though the outcome of the meeting was not known, the two politicians were seen shaking hands in front of Governor Wike’s residence in pictures online.

Punch reports that Wike was spotted in white, while his guest, Obi wore a blue senator outfits.

Obi’s visit is coming amidst speculations that Wike may dump the Peoples Democratic Party, due to the fallout overthe presidential primary of the party and the failure of the party’s presidential standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar, to pick the Rivers governor as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.

Atiku had also set up a reconciliation committee to reach out to Wike to pacify him and to solicit his support for the party to wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress at the centre.

When contacted, Wike’s media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, told our correspondent that the meeting was ‘private’.

Efforts to reach one of the media aides to the LP presidential candidate for comments proved abortive, as he did not pick up several calls put across to him.

A source, however, told our correspondent that Obi may be cashing in on the fallout to woo Wike to his party and solicit his support in his quest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

Recall that Wike while speaking at the PDP convention said he would support whoever emerges and he will remain in the party.