Politics

2023: PDP elders sweat over G5’s ‘deal’ with APC

Published

2 years ago

December 31, 2022

Atiku Abubakar

Some prominent elders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as certain members Board of Trustees (BoT) have expressed fears that the purported deal that some of its governors have reportedly sruck with the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may affect PDP’s chances in the 2023 general elections.

Two BoT members and elders of the party who spoke with Saturday Sun on the condition of anonymity, asserted that in spite of the confidence being expressed by the campaign team of the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar that the party could approach the ongoing campaign and the forthcoming election without the support of five of its governors, there are valid concerns that the party’s chances may be jeopardised if they go into the elections with a divided house.

Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) fell out with the leadership of the party and its candidate over the governors’ insistence that the national chairman, Iyochia Ayu must resign and the position zoned to the south. The governors, who call themselves G5 or Integrity Group, insisted that the presidential candidate and national chairman of the party cannot come from the north, hence, the chairman must step down and be replaced with someone from the south.

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The insistence on Ayu’s resignation has split the PDP, with the likes of former governors of Cross Rivers, Ondo and Plateau, Donald Duke, Olusegun Mimiko and Jonah Jang, respectively, and former vice national chairman of PDP, Olabode George as well as former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana, pitching their tent with the G5.

The BoT members who are founding fathers of the party told Saturday Sun that most members of the board and party elders were unhappy that the party leadership refused to make any concessions to the Wike group. They said even though Atiku’s team says it is not bothered by the crises, the party hierarchy, strategists and elders are very worried behind the scenes that the unresolved issues will negatively affect the party as it goes into the elections.

“Many of us would have wanted Ayu to resign for the sake of peace in the party and let the position go to the south. Even though we are not in support of Wike and his team, at the same time, we see reason with some of the issues the G5 has raised like the need for fairness and balance. We are very disturbed. But then, our hands are tied.

“Behind the scenes, many of us agree that it is not very expedient to have a northerner take over from another northerner but our party members have chosen a candidate in a free and fair primary and we have to support whoever was chosen. Many members have sympathy for Wike and his group but at the same time we are not in support of the route that he has taken with regards to striking deals with our opponents.

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“We are very worried because we know the implications of going into the election with a divided house despite Atiku’s campaign team expressing confidence that the crises won’t affect his chances of winning,” the BoT members said. This paper had earlier exclusively reported that all the G5 had debated over whom to support between the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi and Tinubu. After their return from a series of meetings held in London with the presidential candidate of the APC, Saturday Sun confirmed its earlier report that Governor Makinde has pitched his tent with Tinubu because of his re-election bid in Oyo State. Though Ortom expressed reservations, Wike is also reported to have decided to support the APC candidate, while other governors will do so discretely. But Saturday Sun can confirm that all five governors have foreclosed any possibility of supporting Atiku either openly or discretely and have in turn received concessions from the APC candidate in exchange for their support.

However, in spite of the activities of the G5, Atiku’s supporters are confident the party will do well in the five states where the governors are in control. “PDP is confident of doing well in Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Benue, Oyo states. These are traditional PDP states and nothing will change next year,” a top party official said.

SUN

Politics

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Published

7 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, has cast doubt on the ability of a newly formed opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.

Shekarau described the alliance, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as a gathering of individuals with personal political ambitions rather than a structured and unified opposition front.

His remarks came just two days after the coalition’s formation was announced, with the stated goal of challenging Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Dr. Sule Yau, Shekarau remarked, “This is just a gathering of certain individuals with political ambitions; none of them has officially consulted their party leadership.”

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He further argued that a coalition featuring prominent figures does not necessarily equate to an effective political alliance.

“The coalition of opposition figures is a good development, as seen in their recent meeting under what they call an opposition alliance. However, none of the key figures involved represents their party leadership,” Shekarau stated.

Emphasizing the legal framework for political mergers, he pointed out that only registered parties could formally unite, making the recent gathering an informal arrangement rather than an officially recognized coalition.

Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – Shekarau

Politics

PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027

Published

8 hours ago

March 23, 2025

Trends Admin

Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi

PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027

Although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hasn’t made its official position known on the coalition being put together by some key leaders of the opposition to wrestle power from the ruling party at the federal level, All Progressives Congress (APC), and President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027, Sunday Vanguard understands that the PDP may join forces with them on one condition: The process will not lead to its loss of identity.

The PDP was in power for 16 years before the APC dislodged it from the Presidential Villa in 2015 when then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan lost reelection to former President Buhari.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, had, last week, announced his decision to join the coalition with other members of opposition parties to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Atiku was responding to a call by a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai, to key members of opposition parties in the country to come together and fight Tinubu and APC in 2027.

El-Rufai had made the call while dumping the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In his response, the former PDP presidential candidate confirmed that he, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, and El-Rufai, among others, had kick-started a movement aimed at defeating Tinubu’s APC in the 2027 elections.

He spoke at a press conference organized by Nigeria’s key opposition leaders and political stakeholders to discuss the President’s controversial declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.

When journalists asked whether the emerging coalition would be the major opposition force against the APC in 2027, Atiku did not mince words.
“Yes,” he declared.

Clarity

Sources within the PDP told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend that the party will expect the former presidential candidate to give clarity to his decision soon.

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A member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter was “yet to be discussed at the official level,” said, “We expect him to shed more light on his decision as we proceed.

“For now, he is still a high ranking member of our party the PDP.

“We have been following his public statements and engagements and he hasn’t announced to anyone that he is leaving or has left our party.

“Yes, he left the party on two previous occasions over the past two decades -first to join Tinubu’s Action Congress (AC) to contest the 2007 presidential election; and in 2013 or thereabouts to join others to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Note, however, that on each of these occasions he returned to the PDP.

“Now, whether he is planning to leave to join others or he wants others to come join us to beat the APC rigging machine in 2027, only he can explain. “For now, from my interactions with members of his team, one thing is clear, this time around, Atiku’s move is a strategic step towards unifying opposition forces against the ruling APC.

‘Significant shift’

“His announcement of the formation of a coalition signals a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape, as opposition leaders seek to present a united front against the current administration.

“The proposed coalition is expected to bring together key political parties and stakeholders, including prominent figures like Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

“It’s worth noting that Atiku’s decision might not be universally accepted within the PDP, as some members may have different opinions on the best strategy to challenge the APC in 2027.

“Nevertheless, Atiku’s move demonstrates his commitment to opposing the current administration and his willingness to work with other opposition parties to achieve this goal.”

Identity

The party chieftain further explained that a majority of leaders and members of the PDP are resolute in their desire to ensure that the party retains its identity.

According to him, a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, spoke the minds of most leaders and members of the PDP when he dismissed El-Rufai’s call to dump the party and join the SDP.

Lamido said in an interview, “The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai. You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP.

“He (El-Rufai) once said that there are no elders in Nigerian politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.”

Lamido equally questioned El-Rufai’s motive for dumping the APC for the SDP and his motivation for seeking power.

“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole”, he said.

While restating his loyalty to the PDP, Lamido said the party which he helped to form hasn’t done anything wrong to warrant him leaving to join another.

His views resonated with another leader and foundation member of the PDP, Chief Bode George, who has told whoever cares to listen that he is in the PDP to stay.

PDP gives condition to back Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai in 2027

Vanguard

Politics

PDP crisis over secretary lingers despite Supreme Court ruling

Published

1 day ago

March 22, 2025

Trends Admin

PDP crisis over secretary lingers despite Supreme Court ruling

The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, delivered on 20 December 2024, which affirmed the removal of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a unanimous judgment by a five-member panel, the apex court ruled that matters concerning the leadership or membership of a political party are internal affairs and should not be subject to judicial intervention. The court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter initially brought by Aniagwu Emmanuel.

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However, the judgment, expected to bring an end to the crisis, has left the PDP leadership and members in disarray, as both parties in the suit—Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye—are claiming victory. The development threatens to disrupt the fragile peace the party has enjoyed since its organs unanimously endorsed Sunday Ude-Okoye following the High Court’s ruling in Enugu.