Tinubu strikes deal with G-5 Govs in London as PDP threatening sanction – Newstrends
Connect with us

Politics

Tinubu strikes deal with G-5 Govs in London as PDP threatening sanction

Published

2 years ago

on

Indication emerged on Thursday that the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has struck a deal with the members of the G-5, the five aggrieved governors who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Daily Trust had exclusively reported on Wednesday that Tinubu and the five governors will meet in Europe where a deal on their alliance for the 2023 presidency would be struck.

An impeccable source close to Tinubu told this paper that the meeting was held on Wednesday at the London residence of the APC presidential candidate.

He said all the G-5 governors; Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), attended the meeting.

In attendance from the side of Tinubu included Governor of Jigawa State, Badaru Abubakar and former governor of Ekiti State, John Kayode Fayemi.

Before the commencement of the meeting, the source said all other persons present at Tinubu’s residence were excused.

READ ALSO:

“We have agreed to work together with the G5. The agreement rhythm with our desire to forge together a government of national unity.

“When the history of this political epoch is written, the names of Wike, Ortom, Makinde, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu will be written in gold for the courageous decision to place national interest above all other considerations,” he said.

He also said that the governors are to remain in PDP and work for the actualisation of Tinubu’s presidency while pursuing their other political interests.

Another source close to a sitting governor confirmed the meeting but added that they are still fine-tuning the modalities of the alliance for the benefit of all parties.

The crisis rocking the PDP revolves around the five governors. Since former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar emerged as the flag bearer of their party, they have been calling for the resignation of the PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The five PDP governors were unavailable for comments last night as they were yet to return to the country. Wike had recently foreclosed supporting Atiku, saying he would make his candidate for the presidency known to the public next month.

The governors have been weighing options between Tinubu and the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi. Daily Trust could not establish if all the five governors will support Tinubu at the end of the day considering the peculiarities of their stake in the political permutations.

Govs will be sanctioned if … – PDP  

The PDP said it will not hesitate to bring the full weight of its constitution to bear on any member that goes contrary to its laid down rules and regulations no matter how highly placed.

Reacting to the romance of the governors with Tinubu and Obi, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, told Daily Trust that the party will not spare any member that violates the constitution of the party.

Ologunagba disclosed that everything was still in the realm of speculation but if anything untoward happens, the PDP is a “Party that deals with rules and laws, we have our organs and processes and we follow our rules. The party takes action after due consideration of all the issues.

READ ALSO:

“So when those things happen, the constitution of the party will deal with them. We are a party that is very organised, united and concerned about the elections and Nigerian people, but that does not mean that if anybody, no matter how highly placed, goes contrary to the provision of the constitution of the party, the constitution will not kick in.”

Ortom’s senatorial bid

Governor Ortom’s senatorial bid would not likely be affected if he supports the presidential candidature of either Peter Obi or Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election, sources familiar with what is happening, said.

Some members of the governor’s PDP and close allies believed that he has a firm grip on his Benue North West Senatorial District, which covers seven local government areas.

Ortom’s allies, however, think he would have a slight change in Tarka LGA where APC’s strong leader, Senator George Akume, who is the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, hails from as well as part of Gboko LGA, the homestead of the PDP national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu.

“Whether Ortom supports Obi or Tinubu, it will not affect his senatorial bid. It will not affect him except for the voting pattern in Makurdi metropolis, which is usually dicey because the sitting government never wins elections in the state capital because of its homogenous nature.

“But, Ortom broke the jinx and won in the last election. So, he would likely scale through again,” one of the allies said.

Also, a PDP stalwart, who declined his name in print, said the power of incumbency will determine the governor’s senatorial election and not his support for either of the duo.

How alliance will affect Makinde’s second-term bid

Unlike Ortom, the second term bid of Oyo Governor Makinde is being threatened by the continued insistence of the G-5 governor to work against Atiku while backing either Tinubu or Obi.

Makinde is the only first-term governor among the quintet. Although Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu are seeking senatorial seats, Makinde’s ambition is the most threatened considering the dynamics of Oyo politics.

The state is controlled by many political gladiators that it is difficult for a single politician to be the major determinant in an election.

Makinde won the 2019 election on the strength of a coalition of gladiators who wanted to oust the then-ruling APC and stop late Abiola Ajimobi from installing a successor.

Despite Makinde’s insistence on not supporting Atiku, some leaders of the PDP in the state, including a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Wole Oyelese and a former Minister of State for FCT, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide, have all declared support for Atiku.

An Ibadan-based political affairs commentator, Rasheed Olanrewaju, said if not well-managed, the opposition might take advantage of the crisis in the PDP to take over the state.

READ ALSO:

“Seyi and his advisers need to think through their actions. It is a dicey situation. If Tinubu wins the presidential election, the momentum might favour APC in the state, especially those PDP leaders working for Atiku who might work against the governor to pay him back.

“If Atiku wins without Seyi’s support, it is also dicey because the APC candidate, Teslim Folarin still enjoys a good relationship with some leaders in the PDP, where he was until 2017. So they can decide to work for him and negotiate his return to the party after the poll, ensuring PDP still controls the state. Some PDP stalwarts are already campaigning for him,” he said.

While declining to comment on the report that Makinde and the other G5 governors will announce their preferred presidential candidate in January, Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, maintained that his principal will be re-elected on the strength of his performance in the past three and half years.

Anxiety in Amaechi’s camp

Also, Tinubu’s romance with Wike is unsettling the camp of the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who came second during the presidential primaries of the APC in June.

Though Amaechi was named as the special adviser on infrastructure in the Presidential Campaign Council of Tinubu, Daily Trust reports that he has not been participating in the campaign exercise.

The former governor of Rivers State, who was the campaign DG of President Buhari in 2015 and 2019, has been at loggerheads with Wike since 2013.

A source close to him in Abuja told this paper that Amaechi was not being treated fairly by Tinubu and the people around him.

“It is an understatement to say he (Amaechi) is not happy. When Oshiomhole went to Port Harcourt, he asked the people to only support Tinubu and that for the other positions, they should support Wike. A similar thing was re-echoed when the Ebonyi governor visited the state,” he said.

He, however, faulted the report that Amaechi was mulling defection to the PDP.

“It is not true that he has met Atiku.  He is not leaving APC, the party he co-founded,” he said.

A chieftain of the party in the state, Steve Nwankwo said that whatever alliance Wike has with Tinubu will not in any way diminish the influence of Amaechi in the party.

He said that Amaechi had laboured to build the party structures in the state saying that the former minister and his supporters were not afraid of whatever alliance governor Wike has with the APC presidential candidate.

The Publicity Secretary of APC in Rivers State, Mr Darlington Nwauju, said Wike’s alliance with Tinubu was in the realms of conjectures and speculations.

Related Topics:
Advertisement

Politics

Africa’s democracy is govt by small for small number of people – Obasanjo

Published

19 hours ago

on

March 25, 2025

By

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.

Continue Reading

Politics

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

Published

3 days ago

on

March 23, 2025

By

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.”

READ ALSO:

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

Continue Reading

Politics

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

Published

3 days ago

on

March 23, 2025

By

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.

READ ALSO:

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

Continue Reading

Trending