Governors Umahi, Ayade in company of Ikpeazu visit Wike in Port Harcourt

Governors David Umahi of Ebonyi state and his Cross River counterpart, Ben Ayade in Port Harcourt, Rivers state as guests to Governor Nyesom Wike.

Both Umahi and Ayade initially elected governors under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) before defecting to the federal ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was sighted at the Rumuekirikom, Obio Akpor Local Governor Area, the private home of Governor Wike, in the company of his Abia counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu.

Ikpeazu is one of the five governors in Wike’s camp fighting structural injustice in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ayade and Umahi are of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A source, who confirmed the arrival of the governors, said they quickly went into a closed-door meeting. The source, who spoke in confidence, did not give details on their parley.

It was learned that the mission of the two governors may not be unconnected with the crisis rocking the opposition PDP.

Mr Wike, who had fallen out with the leadership of the PDP after the party’s presidential primaries, had been receiving emissaries from the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and that of the APC, Bola Tinubu.

Governors Ayade and Umayi’s visit comes days after Mr Wike explained why Atiku’s photos were missing in Rivers PDP campaign materials, and hours after Mr Wike’s ally, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State openly withdrew support for Mr Atiku.

Governor Wike has yet to reveal the presidential candidate he would support in the 2023 election.