The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s team  has given a condition for  holding peace talks with the representatives of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar on Friday.

Sources in the governor’s team told journalist on Wednesday that Wike’s men would, on getting to the meeting, insist on the resignation of the party’s National Chairman,  Iyorchia Ayu, as a condition for the talks to proceed.

It was, however, learnt that Atiku’s delegation had vowed to reject the call for Ayu’s resignation.

The rift between Atiku and Wike started after the governor’s ambition of becoming the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections failed following the emergence of the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as Atiku’s running mate.

According to  sources in Port Harcourt, the first demand of the governor’s men at the meeting is  Ayu’s resignation.

The sources added that if Atiku’s men failed to support the call for Ayu’s resignation, the meeting would not proceed.

A member of Wike’s team, who spoke on condition of anonymity,   said, “Ayu has shown that he  cannot be trusted. He once said that once a presidential candidate emerges from the North, he will resign. Now, he cannot honour his own words. Can such a man be trusted?

It was learnt that the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who should have led members of the reconciliation committee in Atiku’s camp to the meeting was the chief host during the defection of some All Progressives Congress members in Yola.

There were strong indications on Wednesday that both sides had yet to agree on the venue of the Friday meeting.

A reliable source in Atiku’s camp claimed that both parties agreed to hold the meeting in Abuja.

But a source in Wike’s camp said no one in the governor’s team was aware of the decision that the meeting would hold in Abuja.

The source further said if Ayu resigned in the interest of the party, the reconciliation meeting would be held in no other place than Port Harcourt.