Sources familiar with last week’s meeting between Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former president Goodluck Jonathan, have said the Adamawa-born politician was worried that the former Nigerian leader had not been participating in the affairs of the party.
POLITICS NIGERIA had reported that Messrs Jonathan and Atiku met in Abuja last Thursday at the former’s residence in Abuja.
Also at the meeting was Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the governor of Delta State; former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka; among other party chieftains.
The meeting was connected with the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.
Since leaving office in May 2015, Jonathan has cut down his involvement in partisan politics.
Sources at last week’s meeting disclosed that Atiku implored Jonathan to intervene in the face-off with the aggrieved PDP governors who are sympathetic to Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State.
Governors in the G5 group led by Wike are Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
This newspaper understands that Jonathan believes the party, particularly Atiku, has not shown him enough respect.
“Dr Jonathan has never been invited to the meeting of the Board of Trustees,” one of the sources said.
“The party has never accorded him the respect of involving him in its activities. Now that presidential election is close by, Dr Jonathan has suddenly become important.”
Responding, Atiku said he was not aware of Jonathan’s grouses, and promised to raise it with the party’s leadership.
