Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has filed a lawsuit against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over the 2023 presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Wike filed the lawsuit alongside another PDP member, Mr. Michael Ekamon, according to filings entered before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
The applicants also joined the PDP, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the matter.
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The parties were reportedly served on July 1, and a PDP official responded to the originating summons on August 5 in Abuja.
The lawsuit could complicate the main opposition party’s drive and message leading to the 2023 general elections — for a platform already bogged down by the upswing of Peter Obi and his Labour Party base.
It also comes as a reconciliation panel begins sitting to resolve a cold war between Atiku and Governor Wike over the outcome of the presidential primary and the selection of a running mate by Atiku.
The PDP crisis escalated, last week, when Governor Wike publicly accused Atiku of lying about the extent of the infighting while allegedly instigating attacks through Sule Lamido and others, calling them ‘attack dogs’.
Governor Wike had been seething over the convention outcome for several weeks, and his anger intensified after Alhaji Atiku passed him over for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as the vice-presidential candidate.
Atiku had been quoted to have said that competence and loyalty weighed heavily in his considerations for a running mate.
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Recall that Governor Wike came second during the primary, scoring 237 votes to trail Atiku, who polled 371 votes from the total 767 votes cast at the convention ground in Abuja.
The Rivers State governor blamed his defeat on Governor Tambuwal’s decision to step down for Atiku at the last minute, describing the process as ‘unfair’ — even though he did not argue that it violated the party’s standing rules.
Sources close to the former Vice President said he had a meeting with his legal team at Yar’Adua Centre, on Wednesday, in Abuja, although it was unconfirmed whether Governor Wike’s lawsuit was among the issues discussed.
