Wike, Atiku deal each other back-hand tackles; APC worms its way deeper into Rivers

Rivers Gov. Nyesom Wike is not letting up in his cold war with the PDP and its presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar as the governor dial up his romance with the APC.

The weekend witnessed a flurry of activities that started during the week when Wike invited APC governors and leaders across the nation to commission projects in the state.

Atiku, whose decision to choose Delta Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa over Wike was supposed to be meeting with the Rivers governor for reconciliation.

But reports from Wike’s camp indicate the presidential candidate is telling the governor two could play at that game too.

According to them, Atiku has started reaching out to other party leaders in the state, trying to wall out the governor who is playing brinksmanship with the party’s chances in 2023.

So in response, Wike went outside of the state and began dallying with the central ruling party.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was invited to inaugurate the Orochiri-Worukwo flyover; a former Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, is expected in the state tomorrow for the inauguration of the Ogbum-Nu-Abali Eastern Bypass dualised road.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who will inaugurate the House of Assembly quarters on Friday, and Olusegun Mimiko, a former Governor of Ondo State, will commission the dualized Azikiwe Illoabuchi Road.

To keep things sizzling, Ebonyi Governor Dave Umahi visited Wike for the second time in Port Harcourt on the weekend.

Rivers is one of the battleground states in Nigeria, and its in control of the opposition until the residential primary election fallout that threatens the PDP grips on it.