Tinubu’s defunct placeholder Masari says Wike agreed to work for APC candidate in 2023 

River State governor Nyesom Wike has agreed to support Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Ibrahim Masari, the latter’s political ally has claimed.

Mr Masari, who was the placeholder for the vice-presidential position of the APC, confirmed that both Messrs Wike and Tinubu have already sealed the deal following their meeting in London, United Kingdom. 

According to him, the meeting between the duo held in London was basically on strategy to enhance for the 2023 presidential election. 

“We are going to work with His Excellency, Governor Nyemson Wike, he will assist and we are going to win the election with ease by the will of God,” he said, confirming the meeting held between the duo to BBC Hausa Service from London. 

Mr Wike, a strong chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was said to have met with Mr Tinubu in London on Tuesday. 

The Rivers governor had been having a running battle with Atiku Abubakar, his party’s presidential candidate, after the latter dumped him for Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, as his running mate. 

Speaking further on the possibility of the Rivers governor abandoning the PDP to align forces with the APC ahead of the general election, Mr Masari said Wike does not necessarily need to defect to the governing party to carry out the hatchet job.

“This is because Wike is a big politician, a governor and he has control in some other states apart from his state. He is good to the people and has associated with his people peacefully. By the grace of God, he will be of help to us,” he said.

Talking about the desire by Mr Atiku’s camp to still make peace with the River state governor before the election, Mr Masari said the ruling APC is less concerned but only hoping to latch on to the disagreement between the two gladiators to win the next year election. 

“Well, only God knows what will happen next. But what we are seeing now, what has transpired is that we are going to work with Wike and he will be useful to us. 

“If you could remember, it was APC that caused the failure of APC in Bauchi, it was members of the party that led to the defeat of the Governor from their own party. In Adamawa too. So what I want people to understand, someone can still assist you even without joining your party if he wants to.

“Furthermore, with the widespread acceptance of His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Nigerians, I can assure you by the will of God he is going to win the election, with or without help. But there is the Hausa adage which says even if you’re beautiful, you should add to it by taking a bath. So it’s not only about Wike, we are also talking with many other governors,” the APC chieftain revealed. 

Mr Masari also explained that the kind of understanding between Messrs Tinubu and Wike was such that it would not affect the place of the former governor of the state and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi.

“Nobody will do anything that will hurt Rotimi Amaechi, he is a party member, a formidable member of the APC,” he added. 

The meeting between Mr Wike and Tinubu has further sparked the internal crisis in the PDP following the party’s presidential primaries.

Mr Wike had recently given some conditions for amicable resolution of the crisis rocking the PDP after the primaries among which is the resignation of the party’s chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, following the failure to emerge the choice for vice president candidate Mr Atiku.