Politics
Peace deal: We stand by Wike’s decision – Rivers PDP
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State, has declared its unalloyed support for Governor Nyesom Wike on whatever position he takes concerning the ongoing peace process in the party.
State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Tambari Sydney Gbara, stated this yesterday, in Port Harcourt, while reacting to the remarks made by Senator Lee Maeba, where he (Maeba) opposed the call for Iyorchia Ayu to resign as the national chairman of PDP.
Gbara said Governor Wike is the leader of the party in the state, and therefore, Rivers PDP would support whatever decision he takes anytime.
He declared: “His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, is the leader of PDP in Rivers State. Therefore, where he stands, is where we stand as a party.”
Elaborating on this, he said the state chapter’s call for Ayu’s resignation was not out of place, maintaining that by the provisions of the PDP constitution, it was not legal for a particular section of the country to produce both the national chairman and presidential candidate of the party.
Gbara expressed disappointment at some chieftains of the party like Senator Maeba, who know the true position of the party’s constitution but decided to stay aloof and condone the contravention of the constitution because of political interest.
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His words: “In 2007 and 2008, when President Musa Yar’Adua emerged as the standard bearer of the PDP at the national level, and Colonel Ahmadu Ali (retd) who was the national chairman at the time, had to resign and a mini convention was immediately convoked, to elect Prince Vincent Ogbulafar from the South, to enthrone balance at the top of the party’s national leadership. Therefore, if this being the trend, why should it be different now?
“Zoning, as prescribed by the constitution of PDP, was put in place to make sure that at any point in time, be it elective positions, or public offices of the party, that the six geopolitical zones are recognised and carried along for equity sake.
“The position of the Wike-led group of the PDP is asking that the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, should resign, in line with what he publicly said on the day he was sworn in: that if the presidential candidate emerges from the North, for equity sake, he would resign.
“So, it would be honourable of him to keep to his words. Therefore, justifying the position of those who are asking him to resign is very explicit and justifiable for fairness to all the geopolitical zones in the country.
“So, it is only natural that at this time, Iyorchia Ayu should do the needful. And it is so surprising that despite the positions of some very highly placed PDP members, who are equally in this course, that somebody like the BoT Chairman, Walil Jubril, had come out clearly to say it: that for peace to reign in the party, it is not proper for the national chairman to come from the same geopolitical zone with the presidential candidate. So, for peace to reign and for the party to move forward, that one has to give way.
“So, it is very surprising that somebody like Senator Lee Maeba, who is a Rivers State-born politician from the South is now the person kicking against it, despite the fact that the presidential candidate has told his media aides and other groups to desist from making comments that can truncate the peace process, which is ongoing to move the party forward.
Sun
Politics
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he does not know if he will contest the presidency in 2027.
Atiku made the remark in a yet-to-be-aired interview for a television show, Untold Stories, with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, scheduled for broadcast today but exclusively obtained by Daily Trust.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to wrest power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
However, there has been widespread speculation about who will lead the coalition and emerge as its presidential candidate, with former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, being considered among its key figures.
When asked if he would be running for the presidency in 2027, Atiku said: “I don’t know because there has to be, first of all, a viable platform, more than any other time in the political history of this country, particularly since the return of democracy.”
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Atiku, who has run for the presidency a record six times, did not rule out the possibility of contesting again in 2027.
“I have not seen Nigeria in dire need of, you know, an experienced and credible leadership than this time.
“We had a similar, you know, what would I say, merger in 2014. About four of us or is it three? We all ran for president and one of us emerged, and we all supported the one who emerged, and he won,” he said.
He agreed with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s assertion that Nigeria’s democracy is deteriorating, saying the situation is “very dire.”
“No doubt about that,” he said.
Atiku also expressed his disappointment with the country’s political leadership.
“The next generation after me, many of them had been governors, had been senators. Instead of me to see an improvement in the level of governance at the state level and so on and so forth, I don’t see it. So I feel a little bit distressed.”
Atiku also questioned the credibility of the current legislative leadership, especially as it relates to the National Assembly’s ratification of the state of emergency in Rivers State
“I am not surprised,” he said, alleging that they are corrupt.
Atiku says he’s not sure about contesting 2027 presidential election
Politics
Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo
Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advanced reasons for what he called abysmal failure of democracy in Africa.
According to him, African presidents work with a clique and wield enormous powers with little or no resistance from perpetuating illegalities and abuse of office.
The ex-President said the democracy being practised in Africa does not aligned with the people’s values, culture, and way of life.
Obasanjo said spoke on Monday at a colloquium in Abuja to mark the 60th birthday of Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo State.
The former Nigerian leader, who chaired the event, referencing Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” said the system should work for all citizens rather than a privileged few.
He however wondered if African countries are practising true democracy or only adopting Western Liberal democracy.
He said, “If you are talking about democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. And why has it failed?
“Because in context and in content, it is not Africa. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe.
“Today, we have democracy, which is the government of a small number of people, by a small number of people over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life. That is not democracy that will endure.
“It is ‘I am because I can grab.’ What sort of democracy brings you, and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly, and you say go to court? When you know that even in the court, you cannot get justice.
“It’s not that democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military ruler from 1976 to 1979 and democratically elected president from 1999 to 2007.
Politics
Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition can’t unseat Tinubu – 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
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