• Clash over returnee-defectors rocks National Caucus meeting

• Ex-VP: 2023 poll our last chance

Confusion broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caucus meeting on Monday night, forcing National Chairman Dr Iyorcha Ayu to abruptly reschedule proceedings till today.

The uproar at the meeting was triggered by the insistence of some leaders from the South that members, who  defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the past and returned, should be excluded from seeking the 2023 presidential ticket.

A vocal governor from the South, according to sources, spearheaded the call.

Atiku,  former Senate President Bukola Saraki; former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal are among prominent PDP chieftains that defected to the APC in the run-up to the 2015 general election.

However, they all returned to PDP following irreconcilable differences with the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the APC leadership. Some of the returnees won and lost elections in 2019 on the platform of the PDP.

They are all believed to be eyeing the party’s presidential ticket.

Those canvassing the exclusion of former defectors  argued that their defection to APC was the major reason PDP lost power in 2015. They were said to have argued that the PDP found itself in the opposition today because of their past actions.

The southern power brokers in the party, who were also reported to have insisted on zoning of the ticket to their region, pointed out that the failure of former President Goodluck Jonathan to respect the zoning arrangement for the 2015 election led to the mass defection that hit PDP.

But some members, mainly from the North, reportedly countered the arguments, saying the call for exclusion was not only a  distraction but a witchhunt of the returnees.

A source close to the meeting said:  “We are all aware that these same people contested elections in 2019 on the platform of PDP after returning to our great party.

”If nobody called for their exclusion in 2019, on what grounds are they calling for their disqualification now?

”It is quite unfortunate that some people have been carrying on as if PDP is their personal property.

”We need to make it clear that some people built PDP from scratch to become what it is today. So people should stop conducting themselves as if they are the owners of the party. We all have an equal stake in PDP.”

Stating their case further, they declared that it’s against the spirit of the PDP constitution and the 1999 Constitution to prevent interested members from seeking the party’s ticket for any elective position.

Another source told The Nation that when the disagreement degenerated, Dr Ayu brought the meeting to close.

Consequently, the meetings of the National Caucus, the Board of Trustees  (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC) which were to hold yesterday were all shifted to today to allow for further consultations.

Those at the National Caucus meeting included former Vice-President Namadi Sambo;  BoT Chairman Walid Jibrin;  Atiku; Senator Ike Ekweremadu;  former PDP Chairman Okwesilieze Nwodo; and  Saraki.

Ten PDP governors;   former Senate Presidents  Anyim Pius Anyim and  Adolphus Wabara;  Senator Ahmed Makarfi; Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Abubakar Baraje; Ndudi Elumelu;  and Chief Bode George were also in attendance.

Read Also: Ebonyi Assembly declares PDP members’ seats vacant

Speaking after the truncated meeting, PDP Spokesman Debo Ologunagba explained that the decision to end the meeting abruptly was taken to allow various committees of the party study documents to be presented to NEC for approval.

The disagreement over moves to exclude some persons from vying for the presidential ticket was confirmed by Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who coordinates Atiku’s consultative engagements, during a meeting between Atiku and members of the BoT yesterday.

Addressing the BoT members, Dokpesi said: “The information reaching me now is not very palatable. It’s a case of attempting to divide this party.

“Information available to me indicates that some persons, who are founding members of the party, but who left the party in the past and came back, should not be allowed to contest for the PDP presidential ticket.

”Sentiments and emotions have been brought in by various interest groups. It is for you, as fathers and mothers of this party, to defend what the vision should be, and to discern what the agitations from certain quarters appear to be”.

My position on zoning, by Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar yesterday intensified his presidential aspiration by meeting with BoT members.

Addressing the party’s elders at the Yar’ Adua Centre, Atiku said 2023 presents PDP with the last opportunity at regaining power or going down completely.

He said:  ”Your excellences, friends, brothers and sisters, we are now at a crucial moment in this country. For many of you here, it is either we retire together or we move on together.

”As one of the speakers said, I am worried and you should be worried too, that if we do not win, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years.

”By the next eight years, I don’t know how many of you will be left in politics. It (defeat) may even ultimately lead to the death of the party because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries, towards governments.

”Ordinary people naturally gravitate towards the government. So, this is a very, very crucial and historical moment in history for our survival. I want you to think about it.”

Atiku dismissed his alleged disregard for zoning, saying the PDP had always been faithful with the zoning arrangement.

He said: “Yes, people have not stopped talking about power rotation and zoning, or whatever it is.

”For sure, in the party, we invented and formulated this zoning policy simply because we wanted every part of this country to have a sense of belonging and I personally have paid my dues on the issue of zoning.

”Many of you were members of our government when all PDP governors came in 2003 and said I should run and I said no.

”We had agreed that power should remain in Southwest. Why should I contest? Some of those governors that supported me at the time went to jail. Some of them were kicked out of their offices but we made sure that we kept the zoning policy.

”So, you cannot come and try to imply that PDP has not been following the zoning policy.

”In the many years of PDP government; eight years and six years, all of them (President) were from South.

”My vision is to build bridges across the country. Please, join me in building bridges across this country so that every part of this country will have a sense of belonging.”

For two consecutive months – January and February – Nigeria failed to meet its quota as allocated by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

In its March report released yesterday, OPEC said Nigeria produced 1.399m barrels per day in January and 1.25 million barrels per day in February.

This is far below the 1.7mb/d allocation for January and 1.8mb/d for February

The report added that Nigeria maintained an average daily oil production of 1.424mb in 2021.

It did not, however, give reasons why the country could not meet its quota.

OPEC said: “According to secondary sources, total OPEC-13 crude oil production averaged 28.47 mb/d in February 2022, higher by 0.44 mb/d month -on-month.

It noted that Crude oil output increased mainly in Saudi Arabia and Libya, while production in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea declined.

It further explained that Saudi Arabia is on top of the list as the highest producer with 10.225mb/d exceeding the 10mb/d that the Organization  approved for it in the month under review.

Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari,  had blamed the country’s inability to meet its OPEC quota on lack of funding.

He said financing was badly needed to improve the country’s production capacity.

According to him, following the decision to allow more oil in the market, Nigeria and other members of OPEC would face challenges to quickly pump more oil.

“Even if OPEC members decide to pump more oil it may not be very, very realisable as the financing needed for more development is lacking,” Kyari said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

A report by Cordros Capital indicated that Nigeria’s oil sector contracted for the seventh consecutive quarter with a negative growth print of 8.1 per cent in fourth quarter 2021, bringing 2021 full year oil sector negative growth to 8.3 per cent.

However, providing some comfort was the trend of slowing contraction in the oil sector as the negative growth of 8.1 per cent in fourth quarter 2021 was 4.6 percentage points and 2.7 percentage points slower than the 12.7 per cent and 10.7 per cent contraction in second quarter 2021 and third quarter 2021.

According to the report, the sustained contraction in oil sector GDP remains down to persistent reduction in crude oil production.

For context, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that crude production averaged 1.5mb/d in Q4-2021, 3.8 per cent and 4.4 per cent lower than fourth quarter-2020 and third quarter 2021’s 1.6mb/d.

In addition, average crude oil production for full year 2021 printed at 1.6mb/d, 10.0 lower than full year 2020’s average of 1.8mb/d.

According to analysts, the steady decline in oil production is directly associated with operational and maintenance issues, supported by incessant pipeline vandalism, which has prevented Nigeria from meeting its OPEC+ production quota, despite upward adjustment that has seen Nigeria’s production quota rise to 1.72mb/d (excluding condensates).

In addition, capital expenditure investment in the oil and gas sector continues to lag below pre-pandemic levels, despite oncoming of the Petroleum Industry Act.

As a result of contraction in the sector’s output, contribution to real GDP in 2021 declined to 7.2 per cent as against 8.2 per cent in 2020 down by 1.0 percentage points. For additional context, oil sector contribution to real GDP prior to the Covid-19 outbreak was 9.5 per cent in first quarter 2020.

Plans for the National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are intact, Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, said yesterday.

He has also scheduled a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for Thursday.

Akpanudoedehe showed up briefly at the party Secretariat in Abuja yesterday and told reporters: “There is no trouble, no crisis in our party at all. I have released a statement which will be made available to you now.”

The CECPC Chairman and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni is also expected to resume today to bring an end to weeks of speculations that he may have been replaced.

Buni, who was on a medical trip to the United Arab Emirates and a visit to London to confer with President Muhammadu Buhari, is expected at the party Secretariat to attend to some pre-convention activities.

A senior aide told our correspondent: “He is expected back in the office tomorrow (today), to continue with the arrangements for the convention.”

Buni has been away since February 28. Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello acted for him.

Akpanudoedehe said in the statement: ”The governing party is crisis-free, strong and remains united in giving the country the transformative leadership and good governance which she promised them.”

He stated that since the inception of the CECPC, the committee had steered APC’s affairs in line with the mandate given it by the NEC.

The Secretary added: “On the 28th day of February 2022, the CECPC Chairman took a long-delayed trip abroad on health grounds, leaving behind written authorisation for other members of the CECPC to continue work in his absence, particularly the day to day management of the APC.

“In his absence, sundry activities earlier scheduled for action appeared to develop fresh urgency to satisfy the timetable for the 2023 general elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus galvanising some within the CECPC to act in their best understanding of both the situation and the leadership dynamics in the committee/party.

“All such actions were clearly identified at all times as happening in an acting or proxy capacity, and under the auspices of the substantive Chairman, His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, contrary to widespread speculations that the Chairman, Secretary or some other officials of the CECPC have been removed from office or otherwise replaced.”

He said the CECPC was intact, adding: “Delivering a seamlessly successful national convention for the APC on March 26, 2022, is top on priority for the CECPC and we shall continue to execute such assignments as are legal pending the return of the chairman who is on his way back to the country and shall resume office on arrival with the full support of all members and other stakeholders.”

The Secretary said the party had engaged a team of senior lawyers to address a purported court order halting the national convention.

Akpanudoedehe urged the “judiciary to give the matter the needed and expedient attention in our bid to vacate the purported court order and allow for the conduct of a transparent and rancour-free National Convention deserving of our great party, APC.”

Nomination forms on sale

The Nation gathered that the CECPC has approved the sale of nomination forms for all the National Working Committee positions.

National Chairman aspirants will pay N20million for the form.

Aspirants for the office of deputy national chairmanship will pay N10 million, while those aspiring for other positions will pay N5million.

It was learnt that the sale of forms, which commenced on Monday, will close on Friday.

Ganduje inspects convention venue

The Chairman of the Protocol Sub-Committee of the national convention and Kano State Governor, Abdullah Ganduje, is confident that the exercise will be successful.

He spoke at the opening of a training session for over 250 youths who will serve as protocol officers at the convention.

He said the training was to ensure the safety and comfort of all delegates and dignitaries.

Ganduje later inspected Eagle Square, the proposed venue of the convention along with members of his sub-committee.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday accused his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, of betrayal, describing him as ungrateful.

Wike said former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomole, had been vindicated.

He said he was sorry for ignoring Oshiomhole’s warnings about Obaseki, adding that everything  the former APC chairman  said about the character of the Edo State  governor had come to pass.

Wike spoke during the inauguration of an expanded Community Secondary School project in Omuanwa, Ikwere Local Government Area.

Wike’s war of words with Obaseki began with Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu threatening to leave the PDP due to a crisis in the state chapter.

Obaseki and Shaibu defected to the PDP after the  APC denied them second term tickets.

Wike urged the party to sanction Shaibu, describing his threat to leave the party as “a shame.” He added that the deputy governor was ranting.

“A deputy governor comes and threatens the whole party where we are governors…who is his father,” Wike had  said.

Obaseki reacted by saying that the PDP does not belong to Wike and that “political bullies” were not accepted in Edo State.

Wike attacks governor

Firing back yesterday, Wike said: “If you ask anybody or check the DNA of Godwin Obaseki, what you will see in that DNA is serial betrayal and ungratefulness.

“Let me stand today to apologise to Adams Oshiomole, who had been vindicated by telling us that we would see the true colour, the insincerity and the ungratefulness of Governor Obaseki.

“Let me say you have been vindicated. You were right and we were wrong. I have never seen people so ungrateful in life and people who can betray everything.

“I will never betray anybody because what you will see in my DNA is sincerity, consistency and teamwork.”

Wike also blasted Obaseki for calling him a bully.

He said: “You came to beg a bully for you to have a ticket. A bully was your DG Campaign and a bully bullied you into Government House. What a shame.

“You came back with your wife to thank the bully saying that after God, the bully made it possible for you to be there.”

Wike said Obaseki’s utterances were beyond politics, adding that only politics would make people know the character of an individual.

On Obaseki’s claims that he threatened the PDP because of Ndudi Elumelu, Wike said he only stood by the party’s earlier agreement on who should emerge as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

“PDP wrote to the National Assembly nominating the Minority Leader of the House. The Speaker by the connivance of some PDP people announced Ndudi Elumelu as the leader of PDP.

“That is sabotage – APC nominating Leader for us in the House. And I say no, we can’t accept this,” he said.

Wike said he had no business with Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State leaving the PDP.

“Satan has agents. Most of the people you see are agents of Satan. I am not in the class of Obaseki. We can’t be the same. I was the DG of his campaign.

“I went there for three days and stayed there without having my bath. We bought even the drinks we drank there. It was Lucky Igbinedon that fed us. I have never seen somebody like Obaseki in my life,” he said.

‘I have more stake in PDP than Obaseki’

Wike said he would never support the injustice and impunity that Obaseki planned for PDP.

“This is not the Benin artefacts where you are challenging the Oba, which you lost woefully. This is politics.

“Obaseki, I have more stake in PDP than you. In all the elections we had run, he made no contribution. If you ask him he would say he didn’t know.

“A party had done congresses, formed structures, you came and we told the party’s structure to support you and they did.

“The Zonal Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih , was campaign manager under the COVID. COVID affected him and we had to take him out. People should not be ungrateful in life,” he said.

Wike recalled that a former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, predicted that Obaseki would win the election but that he would not stay in PDP, observing that the Edo governor was frequently holding meetings with the APC.

On his presidential ambition that Obaseki referred to, Wike said: “I am qualified if not more than qualified. I challenge Obaseki and his cohorts, some of the presidential aspirants who are using him to talk to come out openly.

“If I decide to run tomorrow, I challenge everybody, including Obaseki, what you will see you will say you never know this is how politics is.

“If I want to run, Obaseki can’t give me permission. I gave him the seat. I will win. Send your aspirants to pray I don’t come out, if I come out I will defeat them.”

The Rivers governor said whereas people could see his giant strides that had transformed Port Harcourt, Edo capital city Benin had remained the same.”

“Remember it has started. By the time I make you emaciate, you will know where you are. Since you are ready for war, don’t backslide. Stay there and be prepared. Your envy will not help you,” he said.

Wike further dared Obaseki to publish the contractors working on projects in Edo, boasting that in Rivers, the contractors were known.

He said the school being inaugurated was built by an indigenous contractor.

‘Obaseki lacks capacity’

On the Edo PDP crisis, Wike said: “I cannot see how you can be a governor and you are looking for a party structure. It shows you don’t have the capacity. Who are the party leaders that will not come to the governor? And you are looking for harmonisation.

“Harmonise what? Did we harmonise the governor and the deputy governor? When you were coming, why didn’t you give the PDP people Deputy Governor? Then you want to harmonise the party structure that people have suffered for.

“Show you are a leader. Leadership is not by mouth. It is by action. I challenge Obaseki to come and cause crisis in Rivers as he said I was causing in Edo.

“I cannot be intimidated. You have started what you cannot finish. I am a capacity governor. If I have resources, it is to the glory of God and it is part of the resources that were deployed to you. If you are not happy return the resources.”

Wike faulted Obaseki’s claims that he compelled the party to hold its last National Convention in Port Harcourt, explaining that his position on the venue of the convention was based on PDP’s earlier decision.

He said following the decision to adopt Port Harcourt as the venue, he had invited all hotel owners and urged them to spend money and give their facilities a face-lift in preparation for that convention.

“They spent their money. But some presidential aspirants went back to say they would not go to Port Harcourt.

“As a lover of the state and this party, I said you cannot make people to spend money and then overnight you say you won’t come again.

“But assuming though not conceding that I threatened the party, I have invested in the party; Rivers has invested in the party.

“We have voted for PDP since 1999 till now. Ask Obaseki whether he has done anything for PDP. Has he voted for PDP?

“The only election that he voted was his own when we gave him an umbrella. I have more stake in PDP. Obaseki has never supported PDP.

“It was when his godfather chased you away and you came begging, kneeling down. People came with pressure. Ordinarily, you are a tenant.

“If I threaten the party I am a full and financial member of the party. But you that are a tenant. How can you threaten our party?

“You were a governor in APC and the PDP won two senatorial districts. PDP won four House of Representatives. I am a governor here, APC does not have one seat.”

Wike a serious governor, says Gana 

Inaugurating the project, a former Minister of Information Prof. Jerry Ghana, said he honoured the invitation because it came from a serious governor.

Describing Wike as an asset to the PDP, he urged him to run for president, saying the entire Middlebelt was in support of him.

Gana said the PDP was coming to rescue the country from insecurity and poor economy, insisting that the country with her abundant resources had no business with poverty.

Gana said the country must be restructured to avoid concentration of power at the centre promising that if elected PDP would restructure Nigeria.

National chairmanship aspirants of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will pay N20m each for nomination forms.

Aspirants for the office of Deputy National Chairmanship will pay N10 million while other positions in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party will attract N5 million each.

Read Also: ‘Subject APC convention aspirants to thorough background checks’

The National Convention of the party holds on Saturday March 26.

The Nation reliably gathered the sale of nomination forms, which was billed to have started on Monday March 14, will close on Friday.