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Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday, met with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike in Abuja, according to sundry media reports.
Atiku had defeated Wike at the party’s presidential primary in Abuja on Saturday night.
The Monday meeting, according to reports, was to reconcile the two party chieftains ahead of the 2023 gritty presidential poll against the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The meeting was also attended by former Ekiti State Governor and PDP presidential aspirant, Ayodele Fayose, among other PDP chieftains.
Details of the meeting remained sketchy as of press time.
It was believed that Atiku’s overture could be part of the process to select his Southern running mate in the presidential poll.
During the PDP presidential primary held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Saturday, Atiku had polled 371 votes to defeat Wike, who garnered 237 votes; a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, 70 votes; the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, 38 votes; the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, 20 votes; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, 14 votes and an ex-President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Sam Ohuabunwa, one vote.
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who was one of the front runners for the presidential ticket, had stepped down and directed his supporters to vote for Atiku as a result of what sources said was due to the intervention of the northern elders, who were pushing for a formidable northern candidate to emerge as PDP’s presidential standard bearer.
Wike has not spoken since his defeat on Saturday.
However, Wike had, while speaking before the commencement of voting, said he would support any candidate that emerged.
But he was evidently absent on the stage when Atiku was giving his acceptance speech after he was declared winner of the presidential election primary.