As the countdown to the official party campaign for the forthcoming general elections has begun, all leading presidential candidates seem to have sorted out their respective internal crises and are good to go except for the presidential candidate of the major opposition party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Just last week, the PDP top members had an all-night meeting to solve the internal wrangling, and based on reliable reports, the all-night meeting had no headway.
Alhaji
Atiku had thought his problems would be over once he settles his conflict with
Rivers State Governor, who is a key influencer in the party, but recent
findings have revealed that there are three major challenges within the PDP
that Atiku would have to overcome have a good electoral outing in the
forthcoming election.
To
successfully defeat his competition, Atiku will have to battle and overcome the
three men who own and control the structure of the party.
One
of these men is Nyesom Wike. A UK-based Nigerian political analyst spoke to
city people and warned that Wike is a key player in the forthcoming election.
“Of all the stakeholders in the forthcoming election, Gov Wike is one factor
that must not be overlooked. Aside from the fact that he’s still very powerful;
he is got nothing to gain or lose in the forthcoming general elections. The
most dangerous person to deal with is the man who has power, and has got
nothing to lose or gain.”
“As
far as PDP is concerned. Gov Wike has remained one constant politician who has
never left the party and has continued to sponsor the structures while other
key members decamp. His many controversies also keep the party on the headlines
of newspapers for all years as apposition. Wike understands the language of his
party members and so far, there is no pointer that they will no listen to him”,
he stated.
It
is reliably gathered that Governor Wike has no fewer than 7 PDP governors on
his side, who are ready to go the way he advises. Some of them include Ifeanyi
Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom, Seyi Makinde of Rivers, Enugu, Abia,
Benue, and Oyo states respectively. Words on the street hold that Wike will be influencing
his teeming supporters to divert their vote for a preferred candidate other
than Atiku Abubakar.
A
PDP member from the south told City People that the influence of Governor, Wike
on the PDP structure cannot be over-emphasized. He made it clear that Gov
Wike’s influence goes beyond the south-south PDP, but also in the North. “Let’s
face it; Wike is more popular than any PDP Governor in the south. After Wike,
Governor Seyi Makinde comes next. He is more popular and more influential than
the chosen running mate. Gov, Ifeanyi Okowa, and his mobilizing power extend
beyond the South.
“During
the PDP presidential primaries, we were all there and saw how Alhaji Atiku
narrowly escaped being defeated by Wike. It took the intervention of the Aminu
Tambuals delegate to beat Wike. Atiku did not even get Kano”, he said.
The
second major factor against Atiku Abubakar is the two-term governor, former
minister, and former senator, Eng. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Yes, the same RMK who
has defected to start a third force otherwise known as the New Nigeria People’s
Party, NNPP, and under which he’s the presidential candidate.
The
idea is that the New Nigeria Peoples Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso still maintains a cordial relationship with the PDP in Kano, despite
moving to the NNPP. He is also on good terms with Wike. There are even reports
that RMK handed over his Kano structure to Wike while he was leaving for the
party he initiated. The idea is for a cross-section of his teeming followers to
remain with the PDP and work from the inside.
Wike,
according to the report intends to mobilize this bloc vote for Rabiu Musa
Kwakwaso. Kwankwaso on the other hand has been reported to be softening the
grounds for Asiwaju, as there are reports that RMK may soon step down for
Tinubu and move his crowd to vote for him. Whichever way, RMK chooses to go,
the odds are against Atiku as the PDP base in Kano still belongs to him.
The
third factor against Atiku is Peter Obi. Yes. You guessed right. The former
Anambra state governor, and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP has
a very strong following base within the PDP in the south. Recall that Peter Obi
was the major political figure within the PDP that the south was expecting to
be picked as a candidate before he defected to the Labour Party. Peter Obi’s
popularity has been growing by the day. His resignation was a big blow for the
PDP as it was hit with the mass resignation of key members from the South East.
Despite
the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party flagbearer, there are still many
PDP members from the south who feel cheated over the zoning system. These
people, however, remained within the party to play the spoiler and ensure that
the election is won by a southern presidential candidate.
Kajaiye
Omosola, a Malaysian-based Nigerian writer advised that in all of Atiku
Abubakar’s reconciliatory arrangements, he should put in his hierarchy of
importance, Governor Wike, Eng. Kwankwaso and Peter Obi.
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