- Work against Okowa, Delta APC chieftain begs southern leaders
The dust threw up by the emergence of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as presidential running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is yet to settle.
His choice has divided PDP governors and their predecessors. Some are bitter that Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike was dumped for Okowa after the former secured 19 votes to the later’s three during the screening by the National Advisory Council (NAC).
As reported by The Nation, some stakeholders have also asked the National Chairman of the opposition party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to step aside following the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate from the North.
They said Ayu should live up to his promise to the Board of Trustees (BoT) and other organs of the party to leave office should the party’s presidential candidate come from the North.
They claimed that the North cannot occupy the office of the national chairman and hold the presidential ticket of the party.
Sensing the plot, the presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar insisted that Ayu can only quit when he is elected into the office.
The former vice president, who has left for Dubai, was keeping a tab on the party at home.
According to investigation, some governors and leaders of the party were not happy with the conspiracy which led to the emergence of Okowa.
A source said in confidence: “Some PDP governors and leaders were unhappy on how the leadership of the party overturned the recommendation of the National Advisory Council in which 3 is greater than 19.
“It was unbelievable that the leadership of the party and the candidate ignored the recommendation of all organs to pick Okowa who was rated for calmness.
“With this, some governors and ex-governors are on one side and others on the other side.
“For instance, some founding fathers led by a former National Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Aliyu Gusau; governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Godwin Obaseki; Umaru Fintiri; Darius Ishaku; Douye Diri; ex-governors Sule Lamido; Boni Haruna; Emeka Ihedioha and Aliyu Babangida; Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim; Dr. Bukola Saraki, Prince Uche Secondus (a former national chairman of PDP) and others backed Ayu-Atiku’s decision on Okowa.
“But the National Secretary of PDP, BOT leaders, Sen. Sam Anyanwu, some governors like Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, one or two governors in the Southeast, ex-Governor Ayodele Fayose and some NWC members stuck to Wike. They are looking for the next direction from the Rivers State helmsman.
“Although the position of the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed was unknown, it was speculated that he might eventually pitch tent with Atiku.
“In picking Okowa, an analysis of the performance of the PDP in 2015 and 2019 general elections was done. It was discovered that Delta State could fetch huge votes like Rivers State if all hands were on deck. So, Okowa was seen as an electoral asset too because he could fill the gaps from Wike.
“Okowa was said to be controlling a huge war chest like Wike. Atiku has however told party leaders that resources might not be an issue because ex-presidents Shehu Shagari and Umaru Yar’Adua won elections as poor folks.
“Atiku was also said to be banking on ‘imaginary support’ from four APC governors who have pledged some assistance.
“Some stalwarts have however warned Atiku and his strategists against the danger of neglecting Wike who is a political heavyweight.
“They said reconciliation and inclusion are better than tolerating protest votes from Wike and his backers in PDP.”
As at press time, the fallout of the PDP presidential primary and the choice of a running mate have led to a fresh agitation against the National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
Some governors, leaders of the party, BOT and NWC members have asked Ayu to step aside.
They claimed that Ayu made a pledge to all the organs of the party that once a presidential candidate emerged from the North, he will step down for a new chairman to be elected from the South.
But Atiku was opposed to Ayu stepping down because of the campaign ahead.
He insisted that Ayu will remain till after PDP has won the presidential poll.
There was also suspicion in Atiku’s camp that it was a plot to “ease out” Ayu by those aggrieved on the outcome of the primaries.
A former governor said: “PDP is not balanced as it is now ahead of the presidential election. We cannot be united if everything is in favour of the North.
“The minimum we are demanding is for Ayu to leave office for a Southern candidate. Ayu told the BoT, the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Working Committee (NWC) that he will quit office if a Northerner is elected to walk-the-talk.
“We are aware that Atiku is opposed to the pressure on Ayu to quit office. The next few weeks and months would determine the shapes of things in the party.”
While in Dubai, Atiku is expected hold talks with his team, rest and see his doctors for a routine checkup.
Another source added: Atiku has left for Dubai for a break and a campaign planning recess. He might take out for routine medical checkup.
“He has secured the ticket, he needs to build goodwill everywhere because as a president, he will operate in a global environment.”
It was learnt that, one of the defeated PDP presidential aspirants, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has left for Dubai where he will have a stopover before jetting out to the United States (US.)
Saraki, who was a former Senate President, was said to have “been positioned as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation if Atiku wins.”
Work against Okowa, Delta APC chieftain begs southern leaders
Against this backdrop, The Punch reports that a chieftain of All Progressives Congress in Delta State chapter, Prof. LeRoy Edozien, has called on South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum to work against Okowa and any other politician who accepted to be running mate to any northern presidential candidate.
Edozien, who is a brother to the Asagba of Asaba and title holder of Ubili Ka Nkwu Ahaba, made the call on Sunday in Asaba
He said, “I am calling on the South and Middle Belt Leaders Forum to keep its word about working against any politician who allows himself to be nominated as running mate to any presidential candidate.
“If the Presidency is not zoned to the South, work against any person that accepted to be running mate.
“It will be recalled that the SMBLF made this statement of intention last year, following the declaration of the 17 Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria that the Presidency should, in the interests of equity and fairness, rotate to the South”
Prof. Edozien said it was regrettable that the Delta State governor broke ranks, betrayed the Southern bloc, and lobbied for the vice-presidential slot while his Southern colleagues were pushing for the presidency.
“It is deplorable that State resources were reportedly deployed in canvassing for this nomination.
“Such pursuit of self-interest at the cost of broader State and regional progress has been a hallmark of Senator Okowa’s governance of Delta State, the APC chieftain asserted.
He warned that the SMBLF risks compromising its own integrity should it fail to carry out its threat to work against any politician that becomes a running mate in a party that has not zoned the Presidency to the South, charging the Chief Edwin Clark-led Forum to put their words into action.
Meanwhile, a group, Organisation for Global Youths Peace Empowerment and Development Initiative, has called the South-East region to boycott the activities of APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The group urged the two major political parties in Nigeria to as a matter of urgency apologized to the South-East for deliberately denying the region the opportunity to produce presidential candidates
The National Coordinator of the group, Japhet Omene, made call on Sunday in Asaba while speaking with our correspondent.
He said, “For equity, fairness and justice, South-East of Nigeria ought to produce the next president but it is obvious that both APC and PDP don’t have any regard for the region.
“This might be due to the fact that the majority of the political leaders in the region who are members of the PDP and APC are selfish and sell out agents of their own chances of producing the presidential candidates of the parties in the next general election.
“One would have expected strong resistance from them over the broad daylight robbery because APC and PDP indeed robbed the region of their chances. None of the parties zone its candidate to the region.
“Even after denying the region of the presidential ticket one expected that the PDP and APC ought to be lobbying the region with the VP slot but it is not so because both parties have no regard for the southeast and it is obvious both parties are expecting vote from the region.
“APC and PDP should immediately tender an apology to the entire Southeast region for the act of betrayal”
Omene further advised the people of the region to boycott PDP and APC activities if they fail to apologise or correct the mistake.
The Nation/ The Punch
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VP slot: You are a traitor, Southern, Middle Belt leaders tell Okowa – Full statement
