Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State and his guest and Rivers State counterpart Nyesom Wike emerged from a closed meeting which had Governor Samuel Ortom in attendance saying their meeting had nothing to do with politics.
Udom is a supporter and campaigner for the Peoples Democratic Party PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar while Wike leads four other Governors in factional New Integrity Group in the PDP working against Atiku.
After the meeting on Saturday, Wike told newsmen that his relationship with had not diminished irrespective of their political difference.
Both governors were meeting face-to-face for the first time since the PDP primaries they contest but lost to Atiku.
Wike said ideally politics should never be allowed to create unwarranted friction between brothers.
The Rivers State governor, who described the meeting as convivial, said it was completely devoid of politics.
“Politics is not what will divide brothers and divide friends. Everybody knows my relationship with Udom, and we will continue to maintain that relationship. We may different political affiliation or thinking, that should not divide the brotherly love or create a gap among us.”
Udom spoke in Wike’s tone, saying the visit was not political, but a demonstration of brotherly love in the spirit of the yuletide season.
“Actually, this is the season of love. Within this period if we don’t demonstrate that love, love not shown is love wasted. I think that is what we are trying to demonstrate, brotherly love, friendship. And then in the spirit of the season, we must visit one another.”
Ortom, however, gave the political angle when he revealed that part of their discussion centered on how they can best add value to governance in Nigeria.
“We are going into 2023 and we shared among ourselves how can we best add value to our government, how can we best add value to our people, how can we do things that will help add value to our country, Nigeria.
“And that if there are any issues in the past which we have done wrong, we looked at it and said look let’s forgive one another and move forward. They are private issues.”
