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Ahead of September commencement of campaigns, presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has intensified moves to lure four more Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors besides Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

The report gathered that the push has reached an advanced stage, with informal meetings already held with the governors. Two, out of the four governors who are believed to be in the United Kingdom, may meet with Tinubu.

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But spokesman of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Senator Dino Melaye, has dismissed the moves.

“I can authoritatively tell you that no PDP governor will leave the party. It is one thing to woo people, but another thing to get them. They’re wasting their time. Tinubu is just making a fool of himself. Nobody will leave the party.”

Multiple sources reported that the four governors being lured are from the South East, South West, North Central and North East. He said out of the four governors, two are re-contesting while the other two will exit office May next year.

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One of the sources said the four governors are close allies of Wike, who are still angry that Atiku has not addressed the grievances expressed by them since his emergence as the presidential candidate of the PDP.

The source said Tinubu is believed to be fueling the PDP crisis with the hope that disgruntled members and top stakeholders of the party would join his team. He said Tinubu was yet to personally meet with the governors. Instead, he’s relying on Kayode Fayemi and other liberal APC governors to mid-wife the arrangement.

According to him, as soon Tinubu returns from his foreign trip, series of meetings maybe held with the PDP governors, unless Atiku quickly moves in. The top PDP member who works with one of the governors warned that Atiku’s supporters, especially former governors from the North, are not helping matters by constantly fueling the crisis.

He enjoined Atiku to immediately call on his men to ceasefire while ongoing reconciliations are handled.

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The source said: “PDP is in crisis. That is known already. But leaders of the party have escalated the issue, especially Atiku’s old friends who were PDP governors.

“While leaders are trying to resolve the issue, they’re putting more fire. In the coming weeks, Nigerians will see some realignment in the polity.

“Remember what happened to Jonathan. Some PDP governors and leaders left the party before the 2015 presidential elections. Those people who left were those who worked against Jonathan.

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“Atiku was one of them. He knows that. How can he in all honesty, allow the APC to even have the guts to approach governors of PDP? If they’ve told him that he can win without governors, they’re lying to him. These governors being approached, have nothing to lose really. Two of them are leaving in 2023. The other two believe they can win without Atiku’s support. If APC succeeds, that will be the end of Atiku’s aspiration. Already, Peter Obi has made serious inroads into his base in the South. Allowing the APC to do same will spell doom for Atiku. These governors are ready to sink with Wike. I don’t know why he has their support. But they believe in him. I hope the right thing is done soon.”

Meanwhile, three months after the primary that produced Tinubu, the 23 aspirants that participated in the exercise would next week in Abuja meet for the first time.

Among those expected to be in attendance are Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Science and Technology Minister, Ogbonnaya Onu; former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

Five serving governors, comprising Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) would also be in attendance. Others expected include Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; former Ogun State governor and serving senator, Ibikunle Amosun; serving senator, Ajayi Boroffice; former Zamfara governor, Ahmad Sani; former Imo State governor and serving senator, Rochas Okorocha; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; cleric, Tunde Bakare; Pastor and Businessman, Nicolas Felix; former Information Minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu; Businessman, Tein Jack-Rich and the only female among them, Uju Ken-Ohanenye.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the media team of APC Youngest Aspirant, Nicolas Felix, yesterday in Abuja.

Describing it as the first of its kind ahead of next year’s presidential poll pilled for February 28, the convener disclosed that the strategic meeting is to bring aggrieved members of the ruling party together to brainstorm on campaign strategy.

(Sun)