On Sunday, June 18, 2023, a Family Thanksgiving ceremony was organized on behalf of Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom Deanery, Port Harcourt. The event was graced by numerous dignitaries and members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
During the occasion, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State indirectly targeted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar by referring to Nyesom Wike as the true unifying figure.
Makinde remarked, “We have a Senate President who belongs to the APC. We have senators from both the APC and the PDP. Someone claims to be the ‘Mr. Unifier,’ but based on what I observe in this room, Governor Nyesom Wike is the true unifier. People from the North and South are present here. He has been called many names.”
Atiku is renowned for being recognized as a unifying force, a reputation he acquired during the 2019 election when he contested against the then President, Muhammadu Buhari, who was accused of pursuing sectional interests.
However, Atiku struggled to live up to this name after becoming the presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, where he aimed to replace another northerner in Aso Rock.
His emergence led to a crisis within the PDP as Makinde, Wike, and three other dissatisfied governors (now former) of the party demanded the resignation of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu from Benue State, in the name of fairness, justice, and equity.
As the dispute dragged on, Atiku stood by Ayu, causing the governors, known as G5, to withdraw their support from his presidential campaign and covertly work for his main rivals.
Ultimately, the former Vice President lost the election to President Bola Tinubu, and it was believed that Wike and Makinde played a significant role in securing their respective states for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.
Since Tinubu’s victory, the former Governor of Rivers State has been more open about his political association with the ruling party.
Although the parties have claimed to have resolved their issues, it appears that the matter still lingers, evident by Atiku’s absence and Governor Makinde’s jab during the event. This raises doubts as to whether all the issues between them have truly been settled.
