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PDP NEC: Atiku, Wike camps go into trenches
- Govs, NASS members mobilise for NWC, BoT meetings
- Ex-Rivers gov’s group breaks 60 lawmakers’ ranks
- Why Acting National Chairman Damagum may survive
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the National Executive Committee(NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the camp of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike/G-5 group have retreated into the trenches over plot to remove the party’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Ilya Damagum.

Although there are indications that Damagum may survive, Atiku’s camp is understood to be poised to fight to the end.

The Wike/G-5 group has thrown its weight behind Damagum.

Most party leaders and NEC members were last night also mobilising for Damagum. Apart from breaking the ranks of the 60 PDP lawmakers in the House of Representatives, who recently demanded Damagum’s resignation, an aspirant for the office of National Chairman, David Ombugadu from North-Central, has declared his support for Damagum.

These developments have created anxiety in Atiku’s camp which is struggling to sell the “Operation Rescue PDP” agenda to party leaders and members.

Party sources told The Nation that PDP governors and many members are not convinced by Atiku’s camp’s campaign on salvaging the party.

Many of them cite his intermittent shuttles between Nigeria and Dubai.

Many leaders suspect that Atiku’s renewed interest in PDP affairs stems largely from his interest in the party’s presidential ticket for 2027. But Atiku’s camp is not prepared to give up on seizing PDP from the control of Wike/G-5 group.

A party source said: “It is going to be a battle royale at the NEC meeting.

There are two opposing sides, namely those seeking to maintain the status quo from Wike/G5 Group and Atiku’s camp which wants to rescue PDP and return it to the 1999 era.

“Those sympathetic to Atiku’s agenda are also pushing for a virile opposition.

“But the situation is complicated by the 2027 poll hidden motives of some of the leaders in the two camps.

“All the groups/camps have retreated into the trenches ahead of the meeting. There is intense lobbying going on now. “

At the last count, those who want to unseat Damagum from the North-Central are Senator Gabriel Suswam and Dr. Emmanuel Agbo (Benue State), ex-Minister Humphrey Aba (Kogi State) and the 2023 governorship candidate of PDP in Nasarawa State, David Ombagudu.

There are two opposing sides, namely those seeking to maintain the status quo from Wike/G5 Group and Atiku’s camp which wants to rescue PDP and return it to the 1999 era.

“Those sympathetic to Atiku’s agenda are also pushing for a virile opposition.

“But the situation is complicated by the 2027 poll hidden motives of some of the leaders in the two camps.

“All the groups/camps have retreated into the trenches ahead of the meeting. There is intense lobbying going on now. ” At the last count, those who want to unseat Damagum from the North-Central are Senator Gabriel Suswam and Dr. Emmanuel Agbo (Benue State), ex-Minister Humphrey Aba (Kogi State) and the 2023 governorship candidate of PDP in Nasarawa State, David Ombagudu.

The kingmakers

Findings revealed that those who will determine the fate of Damagum and other aspirants are mostly officers of the party.

Some of the NEC members include PDP governors, the Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, members of the BOT (who have no voting rights), minority leaders in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, two Senators from each of the six geopolitical zones; the Deputy National Chairman; all National Vice Chairmen; the National Secretary and the Deputy National Secretary; the National Treasurer and the Deputy National Treasurer; the National Financial Secretary and the Deputy National Financial Secretary; all state chairmen of PDP, all former National Chairmen, Deputy National Chairmen, National Secretaries, Chairmen and Secretaries of the BOT who are still members of the party, the National Legal Adviser and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, six ex-officio members, among others.

A party source said: “Going by the composition of the NEC, Damagum may survive. Most members are drawn from the National Working Committee and other organs of the party.

“So far, most officers of the party are on the same page with Damagum. Atiku has an uphill task to pull his agenda through.”

Will Damagum allow selection of a new Acting Chairman?

It was confirmed last night that the agenda on the choice of a new Acting National Chairman at the NEC meeting will be determined by Damagum and his team.

“I don’t expect Damagum to come up with an agenda to remove him from office. But Atiku’s camp can invoke some clauses in PDP’s constitution at the meeting to amend the agenda,” a member of the National Working Committee said.

When contacted on the intrigues ahead of the NEC meeting, Damagum simply wrote: “I have no comment for now.”

Atiku’s dangerous gamble/G-5 threat

Also, there was fresh anxiety that the G-5 group may take over the party in the event that Damagum is removed.

It was learnt that as part of its Plan B, the G-5 will want Danagum’s successor to be from the South instead of the North-Central where four aspirants have emerged.

It was learnt that the G-5, some party leaders and NEC members have proposed power shift from the North to the South to solve the prolonged crisis in the party since the suspension of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the National Chairman of the party.

A source said: “If their scheming for power shift succeeds as the last option, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja from the G-5, may take over.

Another source said: “The NEC meeting is another litmus test for Atiku.

He needs to watch the slippery terrain before deciding on his next direction.

“If Atiku’s Camp sacks Damagum, Arapaja may take over, which will be fatal to the career of the former presidential candidate of the PDP.”

But another source told our correspondent that “the G-5 members have lost their potency because they are no longer in government.

“Except for Wike and Governor Seyi Makinde, I don’t think the G-5 can match Atiku’s political dexterity.

Read Also: Presidency knocks Atiku on claim over Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway

“In fact, from the grapevine, we learnt the G-5 is divided because some clauses in pre-2023 Presidential Election Gentleman’s Agreement have not been met. They are not as united as we may assume.

“There are lots of issues on this NEC meeting. Let us leave everything open.”

I’m duty-bound to abide by party decision – Ombugadu

Damagum, in a statement yesterday, said ahead of the Thursday meeting that he was being supported by some PDP members to settle for a party leadership position.

He said he was “duty-bound to abide by party decision.”

“Lately, various groups of well-meaning members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have intensified a clarion call for me to be given a responsibility by the party at the national level,” he said.

He added: “I feel humbled that much of these calls emphasise our antecedents, especially with keen references to our creativity, stamina, innovation, the populist enthusiasm that was aroused as well as the dividends of democracy that our mandate yielded all over Nasarawa State; worthy attestations from the good people of Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/ Wamba Federal Constituency whom I represented between 2011-2019 and the very positive impacts of our keen pursuit of the gubernatorial ticket of Nasarawa State in 2019 and 2023 remain very relevant.
April 14, 2024
Presidency knocks Atiku on claim over Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway

The Presidency yesterday faulted the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 poll, Atiku Abubakar, for misrepresenting facts on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project.

Atiku, in a statement titled ‘Tinubu and Chagoury’s dubious Lagos-Calabar Highway project’ on Sunday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, alleged a lack of transparency in the contract award.

He said: “It is curious that the terms of such an audacious project continue to be shrouded in secrecy; worse still, it is expected to lead to job losses like the demolition of Landmark Beach Resort in Oniru which will lead to the loss of over 12,000 direct and indirect jobs and over $200m in investments according to its management.

“More curious is the fact that the entire pilot phase of this project begins and ends in Lagos, especially within the axis of Bola Tinubu’s business interests. It is no secret that both Tinubu and Chagoury are business partners.”

But, the presidency, in a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, faulted the former Vice President’s position.

The statement reads: “In his desperation to always want to hug the headlines as a self-appointed opposition leader, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has allowed himself to be led into a blind alley again by his poorly informed aides.

“To Atiku’s chagrin and utter disappointment, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway has been rightly praised for the huge economic impact it will create and how it will be a game-changer in improving the quality of life of Nigerians, especially the economy of the nine coastal states it will pass through. Importantly, the road will boost the agricultural and tourism economy on a grand scale.

“Seeking to be a killjoy, Atiku Abubakar engaged in red-herring by raising ill-thought-out allegations that only exposed his inadequacies and those of his team in getting the basic facts on an issue he badly seeks to nail the government.

“We have decided, however, to respond to Atiku’s misrepresentation of facts in matters of the coastal road if only to set the record straight so that unsuspecting Nigerians are not misled and misinformed.

“We owe it a sacred duty to ensure Atiku and his handlers do not continue to spread disinformation as they wallow in their politics of hatred.

“Contrary to the claims in Atiku’s endorsed press statement, at no time did the administrations of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan award contracts for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway to any company at any varied and revised amount. So the question of cost comparison does not arise.”

“The contract that was awarded was that of Lagos-Calabar Coastal rail. The rail was designed as part of the standard gauge national rail network.

“The contract was awarded on August 4, 2021, by the Federal Executive Council presided over by former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN at the cost of $11.17billion. The contract was to be completed in six years. The project didn’t take off.

“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal rail project has always been on the card. It was another testament to the failure of the previous PDP-led government that it could not get it off the ground in the 16 years it held sway.

“The Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway and Lagos-Calabar Coastal rail are two distinct projects. It is unfortunate that the former Vice President is confused about the two projects.”

The spokesman said President Tinubu should be praised for having the courage to embark on this transformative project and not vilified as Atiku unsuccessfully sought to do.

The statement added: “We know there is nothing so sacred for Atiku Abubakar in the pursuit of his undying ambition to be President of Nigeria even in his advanced age.

“We, however, don’t expect a former Vice President of Nigeria to continue to fan ill will and engage in divisive politics in his twilight.

“Atiku queried the decision to start the Coastal road from Lagos and not Calabar, oblivious of the huge impact such will make on export-import flow around the industrial zones.

Read Also: Lagos-Calabar Coastal road: You goof again, Presidency blasts Atiku

“We are at a loss as to what the former VP hopes to achieve with his assertion. Is it not a received wisdom that a thousand-mile journey begins with a step?

“Whether the project begins from Lagos or Calabar, Warri or Sapele, what should gladden the heart of any patriotic Nigerian is that this important project that has been in the pipeline for several decades has finally taken off.

“President Tinubu as a leader and nationalist will continue to drive and propel national progress through infrastructural development across the country.

“We enjoin former Vice President Atiku to act his status as a presumed statesman and desist from engaging in fruitless exercise that does not add any value to nation-building.

“As to the other poorly researched issue raised by Atiku and his team on the Lekki Concession Company, we urge them to return to the Library for real facts rather than rushing to cast aspersions on President Tinubu and his government.”

April 9, 2024
PDP: Atiku, Wike forces battle for control ahead NEC meeting
- Party holds ward congress for Ondo governorship election tomorrow
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders are doubling up on mobilization of men and resources ahead of this month’s crucial National Executive Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings to determine who control the party in the run-up to the 2027 elections.

The major gladiators appear to be the party’s presidential candidate in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.

The two men have not been seeing eye to eye since Atiku chose to bypass the former Rivers State governor in picking his running mate for that election.

The PDP acting National Chairman Ambassador Ilya Damagun and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu are Wike’s allies, and the Atiku camp is not favourably disposed towards them.

The former Vice President, it was gathered, believes the duo will work against the interest of his camp and his presidential ambition in 2027.

Party sources told The Nation yesterday that the various interest groups in the party have withdrawn into tactical mode, with meetings and discreet consultations in top gear.

The North Central zone of the party is already pushing for one of its own to be made national chairman to serve out the term of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, who was forced out of the position soon after the party’s loss in the 2023 election.

Former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has already declared his ambition for the position.

In series of meetings with stakeholders in his state, Suswam said Benue should be allowed to complete Ayu’s tenure since he (Ayu) is also from Benue.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Niger State Governor Senator Babangida Aliyu are also believed to be interested in the position.

Pro-Wike forces are seeking to entrench their influence in the party by pushing for the confirmation of Damagum as National Chairman and retention of Anyanwu as National Secretary until the next convention.

Some party members, especially from the Atiku camp, are pressing for sanctions against Wike and his allies such as former governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) for allegedly working against the party in the 2023 elections.

Sources said the recent public castigation of Wike by former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus and the Director-General, PDP-Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, was not a coincidence.

Sources said the tone and timing of the press conference showed clearly what the Atiku people were up to.

At that press conference, Sekibo said they had “risen from a meeting of the leadership of the former Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council and members of the PDP in Rivers State who stood by the party after the National Convention of our party produced our presidential candidate, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999-2007), Wazirin Adamawa.

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“The elections are since over and the Supreme Court has ruled on the finality of that contest, pronounced His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, as the duly elected President of Nigeria. We stand by that verdict.

“As law-abiding citizens and responsible leaders of our party in Rivers State, we recognise the elected President of our country and pledge our full support for the success of his administration for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“In effect, we subscribe to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the President’s efforts at strengthening our economy, promoting peace and harmony in our dear country, Nigeria.

“In the same vein, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, was elected democratically as Governor of Rivers State, and also confirmed by the Supreme Court. As indigenes of Rivers State, we have no choice but to give our dear governor our total loyalty and support for the progress of our state.

“In that same vein, we urge our governor and Mr President to work together for the good of Rivers people. With the elections over, now is the time for real governance for the progress of our nation.”

Wike, in his response, described Sekibo and his group as “expired politicians” who are not worthy of being called “elder statesmen”.

The minister said he kicked them out of the party in Rivers, adding that Secondus is no longer a member of the PDP following a court affirmation of his suspension.

The April 18 meeting of the PDP NEC will be preceded on April 17 by a meeting of the party’s National Caucus. The BoT is also scheduled to meet on April 18, according to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba.

The tension in the PDP seems to have been worsened by the recent release of the names of Caretaker Committee members to run the affairs of the party at the local and state levels.

The committee members’ names were released by the NWC but party leaders in some of the states including Rivers, Enugu and Kaduna are kicking over the lists.

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Thursday went to the PDP National Secretariat Abuja to protest about his state’s list .

The Governor is currently not on good terms with Wike, his immediate predecessor whose loyalists appear to dominate the disputed list.

The governor was quoted as saying after the meeting that the NWC dismissed the list as fake and restated the resolutions of a meeting between the NWC and PDP governors in March.

He said the main resolution of the March meeting was that at the expiration of the tenure of the executive committees in the various states, the members should transform into caretaker committees for the next three months without changing their compositions.

Fubara insisted that Rivers would abide by the decision that the executive officers whose tenure expired in March should remain in office for three months pending the conduct of fresh congresses.

Party source said decisions at the upcoming meetings of the PDP leaders will significantly determine who calls the shots for the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket.

NEC is the supreme organ of the party, which comprises all party state governors, President and former presidents, serving and former principal officers of the National Assembly, all state chairmen, members of the NWC, former governors, serving and former senators, serving and former members house of representatives and former NWC members among others.

The last PDP NEC meeting, the 97th, was convened by the suspended National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, on September 22, 2022.

Ondo governorship ticket: PDP holds Ward Congress Monday

The NWC of the PDP has also constituted a five man Electoral Committee to conduct Ward Congresses in Ondo State in preparation for the election of the party’s candidate in the upcoming governorship polls.

The committee will conduct the ward congresses across Ondo State for the purpose of electing three ad-hoc delegates from each of the state’s 203 wards.

One out of the three delegates from each ward must be a woman.

The five members of the PDP Ward Congress Electoral Committee for Ondo State are: Senator Abba Moro (Chairman), Barrister Nheoma Ndu (Secretary), Hon. Tom Zakari, Comrade Isaiah Makinde and Chief David Kolawole Vaughan.
April 7, 2024
Atiku and PDP’s battle royale

In his remarks on Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s election, former vice president Atiku Abubakar admonished the Nigerian political class to form a coalition to dethrone the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. He was explicit: “It is important to note,” he began didactically, “that last Sunday’s (March 24) election in Senegal followed the trend of that in Nigeria in 2015, that the opposition can, indeed, be victorious in an election conducted by the ruling party. And, for the opposition parties, the lessons are in agreement with my persistent call for our opposition parties to forge a coalition that is formidable enough to oust the ruling party if the salvaging of Nigeria is to stand any chance.” The Atiku statement was too short to expatiate on the lessons he supposedly learnt from the Senegalese election which seemed to have gingered his interest in embracing coalition as an electoral tool, but he issued it anyway and felt sufficiently inspired by that poll to anticipate a favourable outcome in 2027.

The implication is that the former vice president already visualises himself as the presidential candidate of a coalition probably led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he twice contested the presidency. After his initial stupefaction at his loss of the presidential poll last year, and after a fruitless bruising battle to get the courts to give him a victory he did not deserve, he has begun to address his mind to much saner electoral reality. Going by his statement on Senegal’s new president, Alhaji Atiku appears to admit that a coalition may always be needed to unhorse a formidable ruling party. He was gifted the silhouette of a coalition last year, and only needed to give it form and substance, but he frittered the chance away by calling the bluff of the Group of Five (G-5) dissenting PDP governors advocating for equity within the party, by his disregard for Peter Obi who he felt was undeserving of the running mate ticket a second time, and by his overconfidence in Kano State electorate despite not reaching a deal with the sulking ex-governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Assured by certain individuals and forces in the presidency, the former vice president went solo and came to spectacular grief.

It is presumed that Alhaji Atiku has learnt his lessons, considering his decades in politics, not to say his self-assuredness that one day he would ascend to the presidency. By the next presidential election, he will be 81 years old. During the last poll, when he was 76, he was already lethargic, the boom in his voice less ardent, and his steps a little less jaunty but deceptively firmer than a shuffle. He knows, and both the country and leaders of his party also know, that he is not really in fine fettle. But his obsession with the presidency will cause him to do all in his power to actualise the dream. After eventually overcoming the grief of losing the presidential election, he has inevitably turned his attention to his party, the PDP, to reform and reposition it for the next polls. He is still highly regarded in the party and remains a deep pocket; but once determined steps start to be taken, ambitious politicians within the leadership rank will begin to unsheathe their swords. They respect the former vice president, but they see his electoral losses not as a learning curve for the gerontocrat, but as a humiliating reminder of their collective poor judgement and impotence, and as a burden to be expiated at all costs. Party leaders will, therefore, be torn between allowing him to inspire and champion the party’s reformation, despite his superficiality and inattentiveness to detail, or backing someone else less fractious, lesser known, probably more ideological and even mendicant.

For now, party leaders are still stuck at the level of producing their next national chairman. Alhaji Atiku had stubbornly backed Iyorchia Ayu to continue as chairman of the party before the last polls in violation of their constitution, but party leaders and the courts finally undid the Benue politician. They will get the North Central zone to suggest a replacement, whether that replacement gets the blessing of Alhaji Atiku or not. A lot of manoeuvres should be expected. However, party leaders will probably take a cue from the All Progressives Congress (APC) which gave the ticket to Bola Ahmed Tinubu before the last presidential election even when he was not in control of the party. Secondly, the PDP is still stuck unimaginatively at the point of trying to identify fifth columnists in order to mete out punishment. There will be many suspects, but it is not certain that once they are identified they can really be punished on the deterrent scale the witch-hunters hope. Fingers will point in the direction of the G-5, for instance, but party leaders will be hard put to do anything more than ruffle their feathers. Nyesom Wike, former Rivers State governor and now FCT minister, will engage in his incredible straddle, and former Benue State governor Samuel Ortom will talk from both sides of the mouth; yet in the end, many of those opposed to Alhaji Atiku will court their favour rather than acquiesce to their punishment. Even the former vice president himself will in the end sue for peace rather than unsheathe his sword and start a war he can’t conceivably win or finish.

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The effort to revivify the PDP will undoubtedly lead to a lot of fracas within the party. PDP observers see the fracas developing into a battle royale as a group of Young Turks boasting vigour and ideology take on the old guard steeped in conservatism and ossified tradition. Party leaders, including Alhaji Atiku who is adept at talking the talk, know that the PDP is still the leading opposition party. They may not play that leading role with panache or demonstrable brilliance, but they are far more engaging than the factionalised and superstitious Labour Party (LP) which noisily announced in January that they were fated to be the main opposition party. The former vice president is at the moment the only one speaking for his party. He will continue to do so until the party leadership struggle is resolved. He may leverage on the Donald Trump style of acerbic talk and indifference to old age, but in Nigeria, he will be hard put to ride roughshod over some of the state governors adamantly set against his taking the presidential ticket for the 2027 poll. It is indeed hard to bet on him, assuming he survives the initial fight within the party certain to break into the open soon.

In order to determine who to concede the party leadership to eventually, party leaders will try to answer the question of who among the leading contenders for the 2027 ticket will best approximate the values of the party and stand a better chance of cobbling together the kind of coalition Alhaji Atiku has vaingloriously but belatedly spoken about. The former vice president had the best chance of weaving together that coalition last year, but he spurned the opportunity after giving his word. Party leaders are unlikely to trust him. Even if he means it this time, they will see his humility and concessions as self-serving and opportunistic; and they will interpret his practical politics demonstrated in his puzzling support for Dr Ayu to the exclusion of the G-5 as incoherent, irrational and instinctive. They will be in a quandary about how to ignore his wealth and readiness to bankroll his election, and they will also be frightfully aware of his selfishness in reining in his purse should he fail to win the ticket. In time, they will increasingly become keenly aware of some of his other attributes, many of them galling, such as his sense of entitlement, his secret belief in regional exceptionalism, and his essential divisiveness and maliciousness.

Alhaji Atiku never really abjured coalition as an election tool; he only never gave a deep thought to it. From his reading of the Senegalese election – undoubtedly a poor reading, for the winners and losers alike went into the election with coalitions – and reimagining the coalition that saw off the Goodluck Jonathan government in Nigeria, he believes that only a coalition of parties can get him into the State House. He is wrong. First the mood must be right, then the moment, then the candidate, then the geopolitics. Senegal produced that magical convergence two weeks ago, leading the upstart coalition to defeat the bloated and complacent ruling coalition; for both had dichotomised the past and represented the future so sharply that there was little difficulty in embracing or rejecting what each exemplified. Despite his poor reading of the Senegalese election, it is somewhat reassuring that Alhaji Atiku at least appreciates the value of a coalition, and was even a participant in the 2015 Nigerian feat. It is his personal tragedy that he disavowed it in the last poll when it mattered most to his ambition. He will now face an uphill struggle to retain political relevance in his late 70s, and if his party allows him, fight the next poll in his geriatric 80s. Worse, if he overcomes those gigantic obstacles, he must then proceed to build a coalition at a time when he is most distrusted by party faithful, enfeebled by age, shackled by his corrosive and closeted fundamentalism, and slowed down by his antiquated ideas of modern economics and politics.

April 7, 2024
Merger talks: 2024 is not 2015, Okechukwu tells Atiku, Utomi, others

A foundation member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has faulted the recent calls for the merger of political parties to oust the governing party.

Okechukwu picked holes in former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s reference to the victory of the opposition in the just concluded presidential election in Senegal as justification for his call, insisting that his demand was lacking in proper contextual foundation.

Recall that Atiku while congratulating the Senegalese President-elect, Bassirou Faye noted: “Last Saturday’s election in Senegal follows the trend of that in Nigeria in 2015 that the opposition can indeed be victorious in an election conducted by the ruling party.

“And for the opposition parties, the lessons are in agreement with my persistent call for our opposition parties to forge a coalition that is formidable enough to oust the ruling party if the salvaging of Nigeria is to stand any chance.”

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Reacting in Abuja on Sunday, Okechukwu, who was a member of the merger committee that midwifed APC into a formidable opposition, said there are many reasons to outrightly dismiss these calls and the erroneous premises on which they were anchored.

“First of all, on the possibility that the persistent call for opposition political parties to forge a formidable coalition to oust the APC like the PDP was defeated in 2015, Okechukwu said circumstances on the ground differ remarkably.

“Secondly, dethroning an incumbent president should not be a political pastime, but as a practical political consciousness to remove an underperforming administration,” Okechukwu stated.

The former director general of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), noted that the difference in the socio-economic situation of Nigeria between 2015 and 2024 is clear, stressing that while in 2015, Nigeria lost focus, today, despite the socio-economic hardship, both the international and local communities agree that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has courage, vision and focus.

“Yes, my understanding is that Atiku was referring to the current socio-economic hardship, but the truth is that whether you like it or not President Tinubu has focus. In 2015, under President Goodluck Jonathan, there was little or no hope.

“Luckily, Mr President has with his economic reforms, won the confidence of the international community. All he needs is to domesticate his economic programme to benefit the greatest number of Nigerians.”

On the possibility that the persistent calls for merger hyped by Atiku for opposition political parties to forge a formidable coalition to oust the APC like the PDP was defeated in 2015, Okechukwu said circumstances on the ground make that a hectic tall order.

“As a political scientist, he believes that a formidable opposition coalition is a healthy tonic for Nigeria’s democracy, however, it is incumbent on Atiku, Utomi and co-travellers to convince Nigerians on which economic philosophy the coalition would be anchored upon.

“Nigerians know that all the leading presidential candidates in 2023 were all neo-liberals. For instance, like Tinubu, Atiku and Obi agreed to remove fuel subsidies and to harmonise the foreign exchange rate. “Since they all belong to the neo-liberal school of thought and are capitalists, they better support Mr President, because the success of Tinubu’s economic reforms is better for such students more than those of us who subscribe to the belief that government has business in our welfare.”

Okechukwu however contended that in the face of the current excruciating economic hardship driving the majority of Nigerians into abject poverty, even Mr President appreciates the suffering but assures that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

He remarked: “Two things are going positively for President Tinubu. One is that the buy-in of the international community is high, which means that foreign direct investment which propels prosperity is guaranteed over time.

“Secondly, unlike President Muhammadu Buhari, whose rising tide of expectations was high at inception on issues like anti-graft war and economic empowerment, that of Tinubu is starkly low. This is to say that not much was expected from President Tinubu from the onset. The bottom line is that he will garner local buy-in with time instead of declining expectations.”

The APC Chieftain reminded merger canvassers to study the large-hearted political engineering that enabled opposition to take over in Senegal, recalling how in 2014, Ousmane Sonko invited his friend and fellow tax collector, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and other emergent political actors to form a political party – African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF).

Okechukwu noted that PASTEF or Patriots of Senegal, which was led by Sonko was dominated by young Senegalese with Faye serving as the Secretary-General while Sonko was the leader.

He stated: “I want to inform the former Vice President that in 2017, although PASTEF only secured one seat out of 165 in the Legislative election, in 2019, Sonko contested as the Presidential candidate, while Faye was his campaign manager.

“Then, three years later, PASTEF garnered 56 out of the 165 seats contested at the National Assembly election. The 2022 election showed that Sonko has emerged as a strong contender for the 2024 Presidential poll.

“Sonko and Faye were jailed and released by President Macky Sall less than 12 days to the election, Sanko endorsed Faye as his presidential candidate and Senegalese people joined to elect him as President.”

Okechukwu said he decided to tell the long story to convince Atiku, Utomi and Co, who were with us during the APC’s merger in 2013 that the formation of a broad-based political coalition is not a hundred metres dash neither can be pulled off by leaders that insist on being on the ballot.

“Finally, unlike Sonko, who yielded space for Faye to take the Presidential ticket, Atiku’s breach of the rotation convention and blatant refusal to back either younger Peter Obi or Nyesom Wike; hence contested against the Southern Presidential aspirants in the 2023 poll showed that he cannot walk the talk of building strong coalition.”

March 31, 2024
Secondus, other Atiku’s Campaign Council officials in Rivers back Tinubu, Fubara

A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, and other loyalists of the party’s presidential candidate in last year’s general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have declared their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara.

The Rivers PDP heavyweights, who came under the auspices of the Former Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council, said they stood by the verdict of the Supreme Court that authenticated Tinubu’s victory at the poll.

The party leaders, who rose from their meeting yesterday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said they subscribed to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President and his efforts to strengthen the economy, promote peace and harmony in the country.

In their position paper signed by a former Director General of the Presidential Campaign Committee, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, and former Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Committee, Lee Maeba, the PDP leaders said as indigenes of Rivers State, they had no choice but to give their total support to Governor Fubara.

Read Also: Projects: Wike thanks Tinubu for the opportunity to serve

They said: “We have just risen from a meeting of the leadership of the former Rivers State PDP Presidential Campaign Council and members of the PDP in Rivers State who stood by the party after the national convention of our party produced our presidential candidate, His Excellency Atiku, GCON.

“The elections are since over and the Supreme Court has ruled on the finality of that contest, pronounced His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), as the duly elected President of Nigeria. We stand by that verdict.

“As law-abiding citizens, and responsible leaders of our party in Rivers State, we recognise the elected President of our country and pledge our full support for the success of his administration for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“In effect, we subscribe to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the President’s efforts at strengthening our economy, promoting peace and harmony in our dear country, Nigeria.

“In the same vein, His Excellency, Amaopusenibo Sir Siminalayi Fubara, was elected democratically as Governor of Rivers State, and also confirmed by the Supreme Court.

“As indigenes of Rivers State, we have no choice but to give our dear Governor our total loyalty and support for the progress of our State.”

March 29, 2024
Pity for Atiku

Abubakar Atiku is a wise man, so wise he cannot distinguish between a noun and adjective; and between lies and truth. The man who could not identify his name in his certificate said this newspaper, _The Nation_ lied about his move to leave the PDP. This newspaper did not say he left the PDP. The newspaper only reported that he was holding meetings of a coalition to fight the APC in 2027.

If the coalition bore fruit, what would result? Of course, another party. Atiku loves Tinubu so much, he wants to ape him. As a writer wrote, imitation is the best form of flattery. He wants to copy Tinubu’s APC script to fight him. He wants to deny that he admires the man who discomfited him in 2023. He does not want to admit it. That would be double humiliation. The man bested you, and now you are borrowing from his idea. The man put together the best coalition in the nation’s history and the result was APC that has made him small two times, under two different candidates.

Rather than stay humble, he is staying angry, and lying to garnish it. So he says it is mischief when _The Nation_ reports what he has done. He described _The Nation_ as “Tinubu’s ragtag.” That’s an adjective. He used it as a noun. Sometimes adjectives are used as nouns with creative audacity, not the way this man has abused it. But Hardball won’t teach him how it is done. Maybe his media team also needs a little seminar in tenses. They are probably too tense to learn.

Read Also: Atiku won’t dump PDP, says aide

In pursuing this agenda, his lapdogs scurried to Facebook. This is a man who admitted in his own words what this newspaper wrote. Hear him: “I admit my unwavering loyalty to PDP while advocating the swift merger of opposition parties. The urgency of this consolidation cannot be overstated.” So, there.

Hardball has always regarded the Adamawa chieftain as a political prostitute, a wayfarer who only knows one destination because who knows he will have another destination. Moving from destination to destination is his destiny. He is a political rolling stone. He gathers no moss of victory or ideas. Those on the street accuse him of “Jumpology.” This same newspaper he is calling “ragtag” was his darling once when he was running for president, an adventure that is now part of his peripatetic biography.

It’s a pity that Mark Zukerberg’s Facebook would yield to any query without due investigation. But Hardball is undaunted that an Atiku and his Facebook lickspittles will not cancel the truth, which Shakespeare says you cannot sink forever.

The man Atiku is still bitter. He does not know how to be a loser.

March 28, 2024
Atiku won’t dump PDP, says aide

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has not planned to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2027 polls, his media aide, Paul Ibe, said yesterday.

In a statement, Ibe said the report on an alleged plan to defect was an attempt to sow discord and confusion among the populace.

The media aide described the report as an attempt to deflect attention from the pressing issues, including insecurity, poverty, and government policies.

Dismissing the report, he said: “Atiku remains steadfast in his commitment to the PDP and the vital process of opposition party merger.

Read Also: Tinubu approves appointment of FCTA Head of Service, Perm Sec, others

“He unequivocally condemns attempts to undermine democracy and calls for swift action to unite opposition forces against the grip of the APC.”

Ibe added: “Atiku Abubakar is unwavering in his dedication to the PDP and the fight for a better Nigeria. As he urges the current administration to prioritise governance over petty politicking, let us stand united against the forces of corruption and oppression.

“The time for action is now, and Atiku will not rest until justice prevails and the voice of the people is heard.”

March 13, 2024
Atiku won’t dump PDP, says aide

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has no plan to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2027 polls, his media aide, Paul Ibe, said.

He said in a statement that the report on an alleged plan to defect was an attempt to sow discord and confusion among the populace.

Ibe described the report as an attempt to deflect attention from the pressing issues, including insecurity, poverty, and government policies.

Dismissing the report, he said:”Atiku remains steadfast in his commitment to the PDP and the vital process of opposition party merger.

Read Also: Tinubu reaffirms commitment to enhancing security of Gulf of Guinea

“He unequivocally condemns attempts to undermine democracy and calls for swift action to unite opposition forces against the grip of the APC.”

Ibe added:”Atiku Abubakar is unwavering in his dedication to the PDP and the fight for a better Nigeria. As he urges the current administration to prioritize governance over petty politicking, let us stand united against the forces of corruption and oppression.

“The time for action is now, and Atiku will not rest until justice prevails and the voice of the people is heard.”

March 12, 2024
Atiku, Yari, Ningi mull new party

Opposition figures are planning to form a new party to tackle the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general election, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Ahead of 2027, sources said the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in last year’s election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has set in motion the machinery for the proposed party in collaboration with some members of the National Assembly.

It was learnt that Atiku’s camp is wary of the disunity in the leading opposition party, thinking that should it persist till 2027, the party may not be able to wrest power from the ruling party.

A source told The Nation that the former Vice President has been liaising with ex-Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, who contested for the Senate Presidency and lost to Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum (NSF), Abdul Ningi, may have also been recruited to serve as a foot soldier in the Senate to actualise the plan.

Ningi’s statement last week has created confusion in the National Assembly.

According to observers, there appears to be a move to replicate the 2013 scenario where some governors and federal legislators rebelled against the PDP and teamed up with other parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling APC was formed in February 2013, following the merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and what was called the new-PDP.

Atiku, who was one of the leading figures in the formation of the APC, was defeated during the presidential primary of the party in 2014 by General Muhammadu Buhari.

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He returned to the PDP to contest against Buhari in 2019. Last year, he slugged it out with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the presidential election.

The source said Atiku and his allies are mulling the repeat of the 2013 scenario to form a mega party.

He said: “They have gone far in the arrangement. They believe that the country is in the same situation as it was in 2014 during the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s era, hence, their decision to form a mega party to wrest power from Tinubu.

“Ningi’s statement on the BBC Hausa Service was one of the moves of the promoters of the mega party. They want to create problems in the National Assembly and set the lawmakers against each other and the Presidency.”

A southern senator said majority of his colleagues were aware of the plot to return power to the North, if they succeed in destabilising and weakening Tinubu’s government in 2027.

He added: “We know their game plan. We are watching them. We have since returned to our political arsenal to thwart any move to create enmity between us and the Executive and destabilise the government.”

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, had told BBC Hausa Service that the NSF would tackle the Presidency.

He said: “Indeed, we don’t attack the government as the opposition is supposed to do. But this is a result of the situation and the government we have. These so-called leaders they forced on us were not voted by us.

“They brought religious issues, ethnic and tribal issues into the process. They used propaganda, saying no Hausa/Fulani would be trusted to lead the opposition because there would be no peace.

“If you look at it from this scenario, the majority of those in opposition are from the Northeast and the Northwest. But we were not allowed to be the leaders of the opposition in the Senate.

“This is one of the reasons we said we would go back and look at what is happening under the umbrella of the Northern Senators’ Forum, which is under my leadership.

March 12, 2024