The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday hosted his Labour Party, LP, counterpart, Peter Obi.
Posting on X, Atiku wrote: “It was my honour and privilege to host @PeterObi today. -AA”
DAILY POST recalled that during the 2019 presidential election, Obi was Atiku’s presidential running mate.
But the former Anambra State governor dumped the PDP for LP during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku’s Media Aide, Paul Ibe, had on Sunday blamed Obi’s defection on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Ibe had said Wike’s refusal to allow the PDP to zone its presidential ticket to the Southeast was responsible for Obi’s decision to dump PDP for LP.
He had said: “Atiku did not force Peter Obi out of the party, Wike was instrumental in the exit of Obi because Wike had promoted the zoning of the presidency to the south.
“Atiku Abubakar had said that he was prepared to get himself off the ticket if the party zoned the ticket to the Southeast.
“Wike frustrated that effort because he believed that if it was zoned to the south, not the southeast, he would be in the best position to be able to get the ticket.”