A former National Welfare Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kabir Masari, has confirmed a recent meeting between the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in London, United Kingdom.
Masari, who was earlier the placeholder for the Vice-Presidential ticket of the APC, while speaking with the BBC Hausa said the meeting was fruitful.
The New Diplomat had reported that Tinubu and Wike met in London, amid the internal crisis that has continued to bedevil the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Masari revealed that the meeting was in continuation of the previous meeting Wike had with top APC members including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Aliyu Wamakko, the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, as well as his Ondo and Lagos counterparts, Rotimi Akeredolu, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, among others.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Masari said during the meeting, both Tinubu and Wike discussed issues concerning 2023 presidential elections.
“Yes, it’s true they (Messrs Tinubu and Wike) met and they would continue to meet by God’s grace. The meeting was connected to the 2023 general elections and we now know His Excellency Nyesom Wike is going to work for us (Tinubu’s team) and we would win easily,” he told BBC Hausa.
Speaking further, the APC chieftain added that the meeting in London was not aimed at convincing Wike to join APC but to work for the party in the forthcoming election.
“Well, I can’t say whether he would defect to APC or not but he doesn’t need to decamp to APC to work for us. You know Wike is a big-time politician, a sitting governor with control of his state and even other States because of his style of leadership and the good understanding he has with people and other politicians,” he said.
When reminded that the PDP has also reached out to Wike to settle their rift, Masari said he couldn’t predict the future but the meeting with Messrs Tinubu and Wike was “fruitful.”
“I don’t know what would happen in the near future but from what we’ve seen and know so far, the meeting was fruitful. We will work with him and he would be useful to us… Don’t forget that 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,” he said.
