Umahi, others in desperate bid to woo Wike for APC 

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Wednesday night, led his Cross River and Abia States counterparts, Ben Ayade and Okezie Ikpeazu respectively, on a quiet visit to Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

The meeting which took place at Wike’s private home at Rumuekirikom, Obio Akpor Local Governor Area of the state, was said to have lasted into the early hours of Thursday.

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Though details of the meeting was not made known as the four governors refused to speak to newsmen when it was concluded, inside sources say it may not have been unconnected with attempts to lure Wike to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following his much publicised falling out with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike’s grouse with the PDP has seen him vow not to campaign for presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, over his insistence that the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, must step down.

He has the backing of four other governors of the party who include Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, and Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Umahi and Ayade, were members of the PDP and were elected as governors on the platform of the opposition party in 2015 and in 2019.

But both dumped the PDP in 2020 and 2021 respectively with Umahi going ahead to contest in the presidential primary ticket of the APC where he lost to eventual winner, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.