The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election Peter Obi has met with ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Governor of Jigawa State Sule Lamido in separate visits.

Atiku posted photos of him and Obi during their Monday meeting on his X handle.

“It was my honour and privilege to host @PeterObi today,” Atiku wrote.

In a statement following the meetings, the LP presidential campaign spokesman Tanko Yunusa said Obi visited them to discuss the “state of the nation”.

“Worried about the state of the nation and the increasing uncertainty in the living conditions of the poor and underprivileged, Obi in Abuja on Monday visited some top Nigerians, among whom are former vice president, and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, the former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki and the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido,” the statement read.

“At the centre of discussion during each of these visits was the state of the nation and how to reduce the suffering of all Nigerians irrespective of class and location. In particular, the desperate condition of the downtrodden in our midst was highlighted.

“Of particular interest and emphasis in these discussions was the worrisome situation in the northern parts of the country.”

Obi was Atiku’s running mate in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 presidential election.

But Obi, a former Anambra governor, left the PDP ahead of the 2023 poll and teamed up with the Labour Party (LP).

Atiku flew the PDP’s flag in the poll, losing out to President Bola Tinubu.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says no one has the power to sack elected members of the Rivers house of assembly.

Wike and Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, have been locked in a battle for the political structure of Rivers since 2023.

The rift between both men has led to a polarisation of the Rivers house of assembly — with each camp electing a speaker loyal to either man.

In December, 25 Rivers lawmakers loyal to Wike defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Their seats were subsequently declared vacant by Edison Ehie, who was then speaker of the camp loyal to Fubara.

THE INJUNCTION

On May 6, Fubara told state legislators loyal to Wike that they owe their existence to him.

“Those group of men who claim they are our assembly members are not assembly members — they are not existing,” Fubara said.

On May 10, a Rivers high court granted an interim injunction restraining Martin Amaewhule, a lawmaker loyal to Wike, from parading himself as speaker of the state assembly.

Charles Wali, the presiding judge, also restrained 25 other assembly members from parading themselves as legislators.

The motion ex parte was filed by Victor Jumbo, the factional speaker and two assembly members — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy. All three legislators are loyal to Fubara.

‘MY JOB IS TO MAKE THEM ANGRY’

Speaking on Saturday in Ogu-Bolo LGA of Rivers at an event to honour George Sekibo, a former senator who has spent 36 years in public service, Wike aimed more thinly veiled barbs Fubara’s way.

The former governor’s remarks also came after Fubara gazetted an executive order moving the sitting of the state house of assembly to the government house.

Addressing Anorld Davids, lawmaker representing Ogu-Bolo constituency in the assembly, Wike said: “Let me say this clearly, Arnold, don’t be frightened that anybody would remove you as an assembly member.”

“Nobody will remove you as an assembly member.

“Most of you don’t understand. This is our work. What l am doing is to make them fear, to make them angry.

“I have no other job than to make them angry everyday, to make them make mistakes everyday. And they will be in trouble everyday. So, don’t worry about yourselves.

“If they like, they can go to anybody by 2am, 4am to get an injunction. The law will take its course. We are not afraid. We followed due process. We must follow due process.

“We are not going to harm anybody. We are not going to give money to anybody to buy arms and kill anybody. We won’t do that.”

‘HANDPICKING YOU WAS A MISTAKE’

Again, Wike apologised for backing Fubara to succeed him as governor.

“I have made a mistake. I own up. And I ask God to forgive me. I have said all of you forgive me. But, we will correct it at the appropriate time,” he said.

“I am a human being. I am bound to make a mistake. My judgment can be wrong. So, forgive me for making a wrong judgment. That is life.”