Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, hosted his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, on Monday.

Atiku shared the news on his X platform, expressing his honor and privilege in hosting Obi.

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

Obi served as Atiku’s running mate during the 2019 presidential election but later switched to the Labour Party during the buildup to the 2023 presidential election.

Atiku’s Media Aide, Paul Ibe, attributed Obi’s defection to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Ibe stated that Wike’s insistence on zoning the presidential ticket to the south rather than specifically to the southeast led to Obi’s decision to leave the PDP.

“Atiku did not force Peter Obi out of the party,” Ibe clarified, “Wike was instrumental in the exit of Obi because Wike had promoted the zoning of the presidency to the south.”

He further explained, “Atiku Abubakar had said that he was prepared to get himself off the ticket if the party zoned the ticket to the Southeast. Wike frustrated that effort because he believed that if it was zoned to the south, not the southeast, he would be in the best position to be able to get the ticket.”