Politics

PEPT: Atiku’s greed cost PDP presidency – Okechukwu

Published

2 years ago

September 7, 2023

Atiku Abubakar

PEPT: Atiku’s greed cost PDP presidency – Okechukwu

Osita Okechukwu, the director-general of Voice of Nigeria (VON) and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), claims that Atiku Abubakar’s avarice led to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) losing the 2023 presidential election.

Okechukwu remarked that PDP has strong chances of winning the February 25 election as he spoke as the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal handed down its ruling on Wednesday on the lawsuits brought against President Bola Tinubu’s election.

According to him, PDP supporters should not blame the tribunal for failing to nullify Tinubu’s victory as they hoped, but rather, should lay their blame on Atiku for derailing the party’s chances in the presidential election.

Okechukwu noted that “Atiku’s failure to rise to the golden opportunity and play as a statesman by supporting his erstwhile running mate Peter Obi or any other Southern presidential candidate divided the opposition party”, adding, “Atiku dealt PDP a huge blow from which it might be difficult to recover.”

Commenting on the dismissal of petitions filed by the opposition parties against Tinubu of the APC, Okechukwu said, “Those intricate webs could have been resolved if Atiku had obeyed the zoning convention, supported Peter Obi or any other Southern presidential candidate.

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“It could have been simply an all Southern bout. The Wike masquerade wouldn’t have emerged. That would have meant that the bulk of votes he (Obi) garnered could have been credited to PDP.

“Atiku divided PDP’s votes irreparably. All the votes Labour Party garnered were from the party’s (PDP) stronghold, minus votes warehoused by the former Vice President who naively forgot that Northern voters are one of the most sophisticated in the country, but believed that Northern electorate would behave like children in a dormitory waiting for directives on how to vote.”

Okechukwu added that Tinubu should be commended for ‘rescuing the zoning convention’ which provides for rotation of power between the North and the South.

He said, “First and foremost, let me congratulate President Tinubu, for rescuing the zoning convention, a ligament binding North and South from unprecedented assault.

“To be honest, my take is that the opposition lost the election that day in 2022, when His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, trampled on the presidential zoning convention, which governed the 4th Republic Nigeria and was also embedded in his party’s Constitution.

“Recall that Atiku earned accolades when he stormed out of PDP Convention in 2014 in protest that President Goodluck Jonathan was breaching the zoning convention. And, in 2018, Governor Nyesom Wike hosted the PDP convention in Port Harcourt and ensured that only Northern aspirants contested for the presidential ticket as a way of honouring the zoning convention.

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“So, it is obvious that when Atiku sacrificed statesmanship on the altar of narrow political ambition, one concluded that he had wittingly or unwittingly fatally wounded the fabric of PDP.

“And, going by the time worn cliché, a divided house cannot stand. Nigerians should recognise that Atiku by his greed denied PDP a possible victory.”

Speaking further, Okechukwu stated that, as a ‘Buharist’ that had experienced the pain of losing post-election litigations, he fully understood the sense of grief among members of the PDP, Labour Party, LP and Allied Peoples Movement, APM, over the tribunal’s verdict.

Speaking on the way forward, Okechukwu called for the promulgation of a revised Electoral Act that will resolve all evident ambiguities by providing for only electronic accreditation and transmission of results.

Okechukwu said, “I subscribe to the idea that we should totally abolish manual collation of results and make electronic transmission of results mandatory.

*We also need to return to the popular Justice Uwais Handbook on Electoral Reform, which among other fine democratic tenets recommended how best to transparently recruit the INEC chairman, commissioners and sundry officials.

“With these alterations, election petitions will be concluded before swearing-in of winners. Let us not forget that our democracy has witnessed tremendous advancement and also keep in mind the fact that democracy is not a revolution, but a work in progress.”

PEPT: Atiku’s greed cost PDP presidency – Okechukwu

Politics

Atiku leads Tambuwal, El-Rufai, others to Buhari as 2027 election draws near

Published

6 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Trends Admin

Former President Muhammadu Buhari and Former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar

Atiku leads Tambuwal, El-Rufai, others to Buhari as 2027 election draws near

Former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, ex-Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai, and ex-Sokoto State governor Aminu Tambuwal paid a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his Kaduna house.

According to a video seen by our correspondent on X, other politicians who visited Buhari on Friday included former Minister of Communications Isa Pantami, former Governor of Imo State Achike Udenwa, former Governor of Benue State Senator Gabriel Suswam, and former Governor of Adamawa State Jibrilla Bindow, among others.

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Atiku, who took to his verified X page on Friday to disclose the visit, described it as a “wonderful time” with the former president.

Atiku wrote, “As the Waziri Adamawa, I was obligated to be in Adamawa during the Sallah celebrations. I held forth for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa) in some of the activities of the Sallah celebrations.

“Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2015-2023.

“It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up (to the extent that my ribs were hurting) with his peculiar humour.”

The PDP chieftain, however, did not disclose the details of the meeting’s agenda and its outcome.

Atiku leads Tambuwal, El-Rufai, others to Buhari as 2027 election draws near

Politics

You will enjoy APC, Okpebholo assures defecting PDP lawmakers

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2025

Trends Admin

Governor Monday Okpebholo

You will enjoy APC, Okpebholo assures defecting PDP lawmakers

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has welcomed lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state’s House of Assembly.

Okpebholo assured them of a conducive environment to operate and collaborate for the state’s development.

The governor gave the assurance when he received Hon. Kaycee Osamwonyi, a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, who defected to the APC.

Osamwonyi, representing Uhunmwonde State Constituency, was received into the party by the Chairman of the APC Edo State chapter, Jarrett Tenebe.

Governor Okpebholo commended the lawmakers for joining the APC, stating that their defection has strengthened the party.

He expressed his desire to collaborate with them to drive development and improve the lives of Edo people.

“We congratulate you on returning home. Your coming is a plus for the party, as we have five of you who have joined, and you have made our party stronger.

“A lot of people from other political parties are ready to join our party, and soon there will be a carnival. I seek your help to drive development, and together, we will develop the state and make life better for our people.

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“Uhunmwonde Local Government is very special to me, and together we can develop the area and open it for growth and development.

“The next election, especially the 2027 presidential election, we are ready in Edo State. We have kick-started our own campaigns for the president in 2027. We have to mobilise the youth in our state, and you are part of the youth. I promise you that you will enjoy our party, as you have chosen to join us,” he said.

The governor highlighted his administration’s developmental strides, aiming to boost the state’s economy and enhance the lives of its citizens.

He specifically mentioned Uhunmwonde Local Government, stating his commitment to its growth and development.

Okpebholo also announced the kickoff of the campaign for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, calling on the youth to join the party’s efforts.

Also speaking, Tenebe stated that the party is now in full control of the State Assembly, as it now has the majority of the members in the house.

“Hon. Osamwonyi joined the party following the developmental strides your administration has achieved in the few months you have led the state,” he said.

Osamwonyi, on his part, said his decision to join the party was a result of the disunity in his former party, the PDP, from the national to unit level, as well as the achievements of Governor Okpebholo in a very short time in office.

“The division in my party, the PDP, made me join the APC. For me, it is a homecoming, as I was once in the APC. Your developmental strides attracted me back home, as I want the best for my people.

“The several projects captured in the budget for the Uhunmwonde people are impressive. I had no choice but to join the party for the development of my people,” he said.

You will enjoy APC, Okpebholo assures defecting PDP lawmakers

Politics

Lamidi Apapa Announces Takeover as Labour Party National Chairman

Published

2 days ago

April 9, 2025

Trends Admin

Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa

Lamidi Apapa Announces Takeover as Labour Party National Chairman

Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa has declared himself the Acting National Chairman of the Labour Party, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling as justification for his takeover.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Apapa cited the Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 4, 2025, in Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1217/2024 and Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, which he claims validates his position.

According to him, the apex court ruling invalidates all decisions and actions taken by Barrister Julius Abure since April 4, 2023.

“The Supreme Court lambasted the two lower courts for exceeding their jurisdiction,” Apapa said during the briefing. “They rightly noted that issues regarding the internal leadership of a political party are non-justiciable and outside the jurisdiction of the courts.”

Relying on Article 14(2)(a)(b) of the Labour Party Constitution, Apapa asserted that, as the most senior Deputy National Chairman, he is now constitutionally empowered to assume leadership in an acting capacity. Alongside his announcement, he named Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim as the Acting National Secretary of the party.

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Apapa also revealed that the National Working Committee (NWC), as constituted in 2022, will convene on Monday, April 14, 2025. At the top of the agenda is a new strategic roadmap for the party, including plans to zone the National Chairmanship to the North and the Secretary position to the South.

“We are also taking proactive steps to resuscitate the moribund Board of Trustees and make it functional again. The time has come for real internal democracy and inclusion in our great party,” Apapa declared.

He disclosed that preparations are underway for fresh congresses at all levels—ward, local government, state, and national—aimed at re-establishing grassroots participation and internal legitimacy. According to him, only financial members will be eligible to vote or contest.

It should be recalled that a separate faction loyal to 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti convened a National Executive Meeting earlier today.