Politics

Atiku camp moves to pacify G-5 govs

Published

2 years ago

November 12, 2022

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar

Despite his claim that he had moved on after failing to resolve his differences with five aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the opposition party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has reportedly informed members of his kitchen cabinet to explore further avenues to resolve the lingering crisis.

Atiku, had in a radio programme last week, claimed that he was moving on without the five aggrieved PDP governors.

However, the tide moved against his presidential bid during the week, when the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, accused Atiku of undermining his re-election bid next year.

Bala had demanded an apology from Atiku. As at the time of filing in this report, neither Atiku nor his media aides had offered any apology to the governor.

While the controversy over Bala’s accusation was still raging, the five aggrieved governors, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and Samuel Ortom of Benue State, met the Bauchi governor in the state capital.

Though still unconfirmed, there are claims that Bala who is fighting the political battle of his life, may join forces with the G-5 governors to undermine Atiku’s presidential bid.

Saturday Sun gathered that following the raging storm rocking Atiku’s campaign organisation, the former vice president has urged members of his kitchen cabinet to reach out to prominent PDP leaders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to intervene.

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A competent source told Saturday Sun that Jonathan’s intervention may prove counterproductive, as Atiku’s key men who are expected to lead the delegation to Jonathan, all worked against Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015.

The source said former President Olusegun Obasanjo is unwilling to support Atiku, like he did in 2019, claiming that the former President may have covertly given his support to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

The source further revealed that Southern PDP leaders and other critical stakeholders expected to prevail on the five governors, are opposed to the emergence of Atiku.

He said the leaders, prior to the primaries that produced Atiku, had insisted that the next president of Nigeria must emerge from the South, after eight years of Buhari’s regime.

He said: “Atiku’s campaign is struggling, even if he might not want to admit it. The support he expected from the people is not coming. He has realised that he needs the governors to win this election.

“He had the chance and missed the opportunity. Now, the five aggrieved governors are recruiting more people to join them. If Atiku doesn’t move fast, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State will join the G-5 governors.

“As I speak, there is no prominent PDP leader from the South who is with Atiku. Those people parading themselves as Southern PDP leaders can’t win elections in their villages.

“The problem now is that, the people who can prevail on Wike and other governors, are those Atiku offended in the past. He has offended Jonathan and even worked against him in 2015.

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“He undermined Obasanjo in 2003. He worked against Odili in 2007. Edwin Clark doesn’t want to even see Atiku for working against Jonathan in 2015. Same thing with Bode George.

“Leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo who worked for him in 2019, can’t openly support him. These people I’ve mentioned are those who can prevail on these aggrieved governors to work with Atiku.

“Atiku may have the support of the North, but he won’t get a landslide victory there. Kwakwanso will drag the votes with him in the North. In the North East where he’s from, the vice presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Kashim Shettima will get votes for his party.

“While Tinubu can boast of 80 per cent of votes from the South West, Atiku can’t do same in the North. With Obi, he has lost the South East. With Wike, he may not win up to 30 per cent in the South South.”

Revealing why Atiku appears to be handicapped, the PDP member said the former vice president is careful not to upset his Northern Muslim support base, who according to the source, doesn’t want him associated with Wike.

He said if Atiku concedes some grounds and positions to the G-5 governors, they’ll support his presidential bid in 2023.

He said while the presidential candidate of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is willing to concede some cabinet positions to the G-5 governors, Atiku on the other hand is unwilling to commit himself.

Issuing a stern warning, the PDP leader said: “If Atiku’s kitchen cabinet members mean well for him, they need to tell him the truth now. The G-5 governors must be brought on board before the end of November or PDP can just bid Aso Rock goodbye.”

The former Vice President told reporters in Minna on Friday that all issues with the aggrieved governors and others would be resolved before next year’s election.

Related Topics:Atiku Featured G-5 Opposition Ortom Wike

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Politics

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Published

2 days ago

November 13, 2024

Trends Admin

Peter Obi and Omoyele Sowore

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, recently shared his reasons for not forming a coalition with Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the same election.

In his appearance on the Honest Bunch podcast, Sowore asserted that, in his view, Obi is similar to other Nigerian politicians, describing him as “better at packaging.”

Sowore explained that his own journey in politics began long before Obi gained national recognition, emphasizing his dedication to advocating for systemic change in Nigeria.

During the podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, Deity Cole, and Ezinne, Sowore highlighted his belief in challenging the status quo, which he feels differs significantly from Obi’s approach.

Sowore said, “Before you discovered Peter Obi, I was already running for president. All these shouts about Peter Obi… He just knows how to package. Anyone can do it.

“If I form a coalition with Peter Obi, I will be going against what I have always stood for, which is that I will never support a Nigerian leader who has held any political office — whether at the federal, state, or local level — if I consider them non-performing.

“It’s the same reason I would never have joined hands with Atiku. And the Peter Obi you’re talking about was a vice-presidential candidate to Atiku when I was a presidential candidate in 2019.

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“So, what are we talking about? There is no lesser evil in my book. If you are evil, you are evil. If you are good, you are good. I have a general disdain for non-performance.”

He added that there is no such thing as “emotional attachment” in his dictionary.

“There was a friend of mine who kept saying, he doesn’t care if Peter Obi is Igbo, but that it is the turn of the Igbos. But it is beyond that; I have a natural disdain for poor performance,” he explained.

Sowore insisted that while many may not know it, he knew Obi before and during his time as governor, and he backed him.

“I had always known and supported him and stood against his removal when (Olusegun) Obasanjo wanted to use Andy Ubah to replace him—the twists and turns then.

“However, when Peter Obi finished his term in Anambra, the question I asked him was whether he could send his child to any university he had built in Anambra—he was mute and could not respond.

“I also asked him if he could enter any hospital he built in Anambra, which he governed for eight years, even if it was for the slightest headache—there was also no response.”

Sowore went on to challenge the four anchors or any other Nigerians, saying, “If they can pack their bags and head to Anambra for a vacation.”

PUNCH Online reports that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress recorded 8,794,726 votes in the 2023 presidential election, followed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party who secured 6,984,520 votes.

In third place, Labour Party’s Obi garnered 6,101,533 votes, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party secured 1,496,687 votes.

Why I can’t form coalition with Peter Obi – Sowore

Politics

Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2024

Trends Admin

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

The Arewa Consensus for Jonathan, a political group in the North, has urged former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to enter the 2027 presidential race.

Jonathan, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015, is widely regarded for his role in fostering democratic growth and his relatively peaceful exit from power after losing the 2015 election.
Despite his exit from politics, his name has remained a focal point in discussions about Nigeria’s future leadership.

The group’s leader, Munir Musa, who made the appeal during a press conference in Bauchi over the weekend, emphasised that Jonathan’s return to office was crucial to addressing Nigeria’s pressing economic and security challenges.

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He argued that Nigeria, grappling with severe economic downturns and rising security threats, needs a leader with Jonathan’s experience and competence to restore stability.

“The nation is at a crossroads, and we believe that Goodluck Jonathan is the right man to steer us out of the current malaise,” Musa told reporters.

He expressed confidence that Jonathan’s leadership could heal the country’s deepening wounds and usher in a new era of progress.

Why we want Jonathan to contest 2027 presidency – Northern group

Politics

Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov

Published

4 days ago

November 11, 2024

Trends Admin

Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa

Afenifere, Council of Obas back Aiyedatiwa for Ondo gov

Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political and cultural organization, has endorsed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.

Sehinde Arogbofa, a prominent Afenifere leader, announced the support at the Olubaka of Oka land palace, Oba Yusuf Adebori Adeleye.

Arogbofa expressed confidence in Aiyedatiwa’s leadership and encouraged him to follow the values and legacy of Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Ondo State’s first governor. “Afenifere stands firmly behind your mandate… Strive to make Ondo State great again,” Arogbofa said.

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Oba Adeleye, speaking on behalf of traditional rulers in Akoko South West Local Government Area, also endorsed Aiyedatiwa, citing his masses-focused policies and the governor’s initiative to allocate five percent of local government funds to traditional institutions as a demonstration of his commitment to their welfare.