In what appeared to be a reprisal probably to make up of for the loss of five governors, popularly known as the G-5, presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is currently in talks with five governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Disclosing the development to Leadership, the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organisation said the APC governors who are friends with Atiku have been consulting with the former vice president on how to support him.
According to the PDP campaign team, the five APC governors are willing to jump ship because they believe Atiku has a more believable manifesto and better experience to manage Nigeria.
One of the spokesmen of the PDP campaign team and former national publicity secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who gave the hint, told the newspaper that the move is ongoing just as the APC presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, believes he can attempt to leverage on the situation within the PDP where five governors have distanced themselves from the party’s presidential campaign activities unless the PDP national chairman, Dr Iyorchia Ayu resigns, resigns and is replaced by a southerner.
But in a swift reaction, the APC dismissed the claim by the opposition party, describing it as wishful thinking that indicates the opposition party in the country lacks plans and clear-cut strategy for the forthcoming general election.
Five PDP governors, namely Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) had repeatedly declared they won’t support Atiku’s campaign.
So far, some of the G-5 governors seem to be tilting towards the APC, with Wike recently endorsing the APC governorship candidate in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
While the Rivers governor went further to donate money to APC women group in Lagos, his Oyo counterpart, Makinde, through his deputy, openly declared support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition when the APC presidential candidate met with Afenifere leaders in Pa Reuben Fasoranti’s residence in Akure, Ondo State.
Ologbondiyan however told the paper that talks with the Wike group is still ongoing, even as he revealed that APC governors are in talks with Atiku ahead of the 2023 polls.
He said, “As we speak there are no less than five governors of the APC, who are friends with our candidate, and who have been talking to our candidate with regards to the 2023 presidential election.
“They (APC governors) are convinced about Atiku’s relevant experience, not just any kind of experience as being bandied about by other candidates. They are also convinced about Atiku’s manifesto. They have looked at his manifesto and they are convinced about its believability and the capacity of Atiku to realise them.”
When asked to reveal the identities of the governors, Ologbondiyan noted that at the appropriate time, they will be revealed.
“At the right time Nigerians will know them. We don’t want to mention their names now. But I assure you at the appropriate time, Nigerians will see them.”
On the regions the governors are from, Ologbondiyan who refused to give specific details, added: “They are spread across the regions. Like I said at the appropriate time, Nigerians will know them.”
Your Wishful Thinking, Lack Of Plans – APC
But in a swift reaction, the APC described PDP’s claims as wishful thinking, saying it is a clear indication that the opposition party in the country lacks plans and clear-cut strategy for the forthcoming general election.
National publicity secretary of the governing party, Barr Felix Morka, told Leadership that due to lack of agenda, the PDP had been grabbing on straws by springing up series of falsehood, from the law suit it filed recently against the APC to the current claim that five progressive governor are consulting to support Atiku for the 2023 presidential poll.
Morka said, “That’s wishful thinking; you can see clearly that they don’t have any plans for the next elections. They have no plans, they have no strategy. The other day they filed a law suit and now they are talking about five APC governors.
“So, clearly that is not an agenda for an election and it does not show a party that is serious about competing for power. They are just grabbing on straws, hoping that they can grab something that has a route but it’s just completely wishful. It’s not worth any reaction”.
Reiterating his earlier stance that the PDP is embarking on a voyage of “phantom and vain expedition” with the legal action and now claims of APC governor’s romancing Atiku, the APC spokesman restated his earlier stance that PDP is trapped in the abyss of internal contradictions
“Again, that’s the PDP setting itself on a phantom and vain expedition. It is obvious the PDP is rightly convinced of its failed 2023 engagement. Trapped in the abyss of its internal contradictions and intractable crisis, the PDP has resorted to grabbing straws and scratching the sand in hope of success.
“It betrays the extreme desperation and utter lack of competitive confidence to face 2023. To be clear, there shall be no political manna falling from the sky for the PDP. They should wake up from their inebriated slumber and smell the political coffee,” Morka reiterated. [Leadership]
