How Obasanjo’s Presence At Wike-Obi’s London Talks Rattled Tinubu’s Camp

Loyalists of the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, yesterday, expressed displeasure over the presence of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the London meeting Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his allies had with presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, despite being reportedly committed to their cause.

 

In a related development, the Obi-Datti Media Office, yesterday, dismissed as jaundiced, remarks made by Mr. Dele Alake, a spokesman of the APC presidential candidate, to the effect that Peter Obi had nothing to show for his eight years as governor of Anambra State.

This came on a day Governor Wike said he will disclose his preferred presidential candidate, ahead of the 2023 elections soon.

 

It will be recalled that Governor Wike and his allies met with Obasanjo and Obi on the need to form an alliance ahead of the 2023 general elections.

 

Similarly, Tinubu and some of his allies had met with the former President at his Ota residence to seek Obasanjo’s blessing and support, last week.

 

However, Obasanjo denied reports that he endorsed Tinubu during the visit of the APC presidential candidate.

 

His Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, refuted statements from supporters of Tinubu, clarifying that the discussion during the visit was “more brotherly than political.”

 

Chief Obasanjo’s aide further said the former President had neither agreed nor disapproved of Tinubu’s ‘request.

 

A source familiar with the London meetings told Vanguard that the Tinubu camp is not happy that Obasanjo was at the parley Wike had with Obi in London.

 

It was further gathered that Obasanjo’s presence at the meeting was at the instance of Obi.

 

The source said: “First, it was the Wike camp that leaked the London meeting with Obasanjo and Obi, and secondly, it was because of Peter Obi that Obasanjo was present at the meeting with the Wike camp.

 

“The Wike camp did not want the story leaked by someone else and that informed their decision to leak the story and picture that they met with Obasanjo and Obi.

 

“Obasanjo was at the London meeting at the instance of Obi. The Wike camp wanted to meet Peter Obi but Obi requested that Obasanjo should be present before the meeting could hold.

 

“The Tinubu people were not happy that Baba (Obasanjo) was there (London) because they felt Baba had committed himself when they met with him in Ota. They felt Baba was already committed to them (Tinubu’s camp) and so when he (Obasanjo) met with Wike, alongside Obi, the Tinubu camp was not happy that he was part of the London meeting with Wike and Obi.”