Atiku seeks Jonathan’s intervention in fresh move for truce with Wike – Newstrends
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Atiku seeks Jonathan’s intervention in fresh move for truce with Wike

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1 year ago

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n what appears a fresh move aimed at resolving the festering rift with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has sought the intervention of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Atiku, accompanied by his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, had, on Thursday night, paid a private visit to Jonathan at the ex-President’s Abuja residence.

Party sources observed Atiku to be deeply worried by Wike’s recent actions and utterances, which seek to undermine the PDP candidate and hurt his presidential bid.

Although details of the meeting were not made available to the media, a reliable source in the Atiku/Okowa Campaign told our correspondent on Friday that it was not impossible that Atiku indeed went to seek Jonathan’s intervention.

The source, who did not want his name in print because he was not mandated to speak to the media on the matter, said Atiku and his team believed that Jonathan could prevail on Wike to soft-pedal.

The source affirmed the strong ties between the ex-President and the Rivers State Governor, stressing that the latter has great respect for the former and also holds strong allegiance to him.

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He said: “In case you didn’t know, Wike parted ways with his friend and predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi because Amaechi decided to work against Jonathan in the run up to the 2015 election.

“Even though it was Amaechi that nominated him for ministerial position under Jonathan, Wike chose to stick with Jonathan, ditching Amaechi in the process.

“So, outside their disagreement over local politics in Rivers State at the time, Amaechi’s irreconcilable differences with Jonathan accounted for the sustained animosity between him and Wike till now.”

It was also gathered that Jonathan may not be well disposed to wading into the Atiku-Wike rift bearing in mind the role Atiku played in frustrating his re-election bid in 2015.

Atiku and many other PDP bigwigs had dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to work against Jonathan, leading to his defeat by General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Even though Jonathan campaigned for candidate Atiku when he contested the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the PDP, the ex-President has stayed away from the activities of the party since then.

Many recall that Jonathan did not attend the September 28, 2022 inauguration of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Council even though he was invited to be the special guest of honour.

Speaking on the visit, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, said the meeting had nothing to do with the rift between his principal and the Rivers State Governor.

Ibe, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone yesterday, said the visit was part of Atiku’s consultation with stakeholders in the pursuit of his presidential project.

Ibe said: “We all know that as a former President who was elected on the platform of the PDP, Dr. Jonathan is a statesman and a highly respected leader in the PDP.

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“The visit was part of consultations on topical national issues like restructuring, which is one of the key programmes of Atiku’s action plan.

“He went to tap from Dr. Jonathan’s knowledge and experience because the former President had been there before.

“For instance, when we talk about restructuring, there are a number of options on the table. It may come through executive pronouncement, reforms or negotiation.

“That is why there must be broad consultation with relevant stakeholders across all geopolitical zones. I can assure you that there will be more of such consultations in the days and weeks ahead.”

Corroborating Ibe’s position, one of the spokespersons of the Atiku-Okowa Campaign, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, also said the meeting was part of ongoing consultations embarked upon by the PDP presidential candidate.

Aniagwu added that the consultation is not restricted to only PDP leaders, saying that relevant stakeholders, regardless of party affiliation, would also be consulted as time goes on.

The campaign spokesperson, however, did not rule out the probability of the Wike issue coming up during the meeting.

Aniagwu said: “What I can say is that it was a total package in the sense that they couldn’t have gone to meet with Jonathan because of one person. It’s part of ongoing consultation that will be extended to diverse stakeholders.”

The Nation

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Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement

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3 days ago

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April 30, 2024

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Senate in rowdy session as lawmakers quarrel over sitting arrangement

The Senate broke into a rowdy session on Tuesday after three senators engaged in a heated argument over arrangement of seats.

Danjuma Goje, senator representing Gombe Central, and Sahabi Yau, senator representing Zamfara North, expressed displeasure over the seats assigned to them.

They complained to Opeyemi Bamidele, the majority leader.

The Senate is currently using its refurbished chamber, two years after renovation began on it.

According to the standing rules of the upper legislative chamber, senators should sit in order of rank.

The Easter and Sallah recess was postponed to accommodate the completion of the renovation of both chambers of the national assembly.

However, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio read his welcome address, the heated argument among the three senators began.

It was learnt that Goje and Yau, sitting on the second row on the right side of the aisle, did not like the seats allocated to them by the senate committee on services.

Sunday Karimi, senator representing Kogi west, is chair of the senate services committee.

The four-term senators subsequently insisted that they should have been assigned seats on the front row on the extreme right — opposite the row of the majority leader and the deputy senate president.

After the argument, Kawu Sumaila, senator representing Kano South, called for a “point of order” which was ignored.

Thereafter, Bamidele moved a motion for a closed-session.

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Ganduje drums support for Tinubu, says no vacancy in Aso Rock 2027

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3 days ago

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April 30, 2024

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Ganduje drums support for Tinubu, says no vacancy in Aso Rock 2027

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, says members of the opposition are trying to discredit the Bola Tinubu-led administration in their desperation for Aso Rock in 2027.
He however declares that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027.

Ganduje said the administration of President Tinubu had been contending with accumulation of many years of neglect, policy summersaults and other disjointed decisions by previous administrations.

The APC national chairman gave the position while addressing supporters and support groups at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.

Ganduje urged the APC supporters and groups to be committed to the party so that it could continue to forge ahead.

He said the leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and its chieftains were afraid, having been defeated in the last general election and already foreseeing another defeat.

Ganduje said the NNPP elements were now engaged in a propaganda campaign against the leadership of APC.

He said, “They are so afraid because we are consolidating. They are so afraid all over the country because we are receiving new entrants into our party. That is creating fears in their minds.

“They are already eyeing 2027, but at that time, there is no vacancy. Only our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will, Insha Allah, continue as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Ganduje claimed the leadership of NNPP and its chieftains in Kano State were sponsoring protests and campaigning for his removal as APC national chairman.

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Another PDP bigwig dumps party

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4 days ago

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April 29, 2024

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Dr Cosmos Ndukwe

Another PDP bigwig dumps party

Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, one of the key opposition Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidates for 2023, has resigned from the party.

This is stated in a letter written by the former Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly to the Chairman of his Item C Ward in Bende Local Government Area, which was copied to the party’s State Chairman, Hon. Asiforo Okere, and the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The former Chief of Staff to the Governor and Commissioner for Works under ex-Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu claimed “personal reasons, current commitments, and aspirations” in his decision to leave the PDP.

He praised the party for providing him with the opportunity to enter the political spotlight and wished it success in the state.

The letter posted on his Facebook page on Monday morning read, “I hope this letter finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that I compose this correspondence to tender my resignation as a member and stakeholder in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Abia State, effective immediately.

“My decision to resign as a member within the party stems from personal reasons and reflections on my current commitments and aspirations.

“After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that potting out of PDP is the best course of action for me at this time.

“I am immensely grateful for the opportunities that the PDP has afforded me during my tenure as a Councillor, Deputy Chairman Local Government, Chief of Staff to Executive Governor of Abia State, Deputy Speaker Abia 6th House of Assembly and Presidential Aspirant PDP 2023.

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“Serving within the party has been a privilege, and I have valued the relationships I have built with fellow members, as well as the chance to contribute to the party’s objectives and ideals.

” I want to express my appreciation to you, the Ward Executive Committee, and all members of the PDP Abia State for the support and camaraderie extended to me throughout my association with the party.

“While I may be stepping away from my formal role, I remain committed to the principles of democracy and the progress of our great state Abia.

“Please consider this letter as my formal resignation from all duties and responsibilities associated with my position as a member and stakeholder in the PDP Abia State.

“I wish the PDP Abia State continued success in all its endeavors, and I extend my best wishes for the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and experiences.”

The former Deputy Speaker had in an introductory post to the letter written:

“Good morning friends and well wishers. In life, we all have the past. We all made choices that maybe, weren’t the best ones. None of us is completely a saint,
but we all get a fresh start some day.

“Eccl 3:1-5 summary is on time for everything. To me, this is time to leave PDP family. I am potting out for good, new destination to be announced soon.

“My letter has started its journey to the ward chairman, LG chairman, State Chairman and Ag National chairman”.

Platinumpost reports that, the PDP has been hit by the wind of resignation following the exit of former Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and over 20 key members of the party in Imo State including a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), and zonal officers.

Although the supremacy tussle between former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, is believed to be at the centre of crisis rocking the PDP, funding by Vanguard show that Ndukwe may be on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to assist his kinsman, and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

Another PDP bigwig dumps party

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