*Atiku’s emergence, an affront on people of Southern Nigeria, says SMBLF
By Ezeocha Nzeh and Myke Uzendu
It’s no longer news that former Vice President Atiku has emerged as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with 371 votes to defeat his closest rival Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who polled 237 votes.
The result of the election may have however shown how politically united the North has remained, as they are said to have never deserted their own, contrary to what plays out in the South
This is even as the Southern Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has decribed the emergence of the former Vice President as an affront by the PDP on the people of Southern Nigeria
Recall that Wike had in 2019 worked against Atiku and threw his weight behind Tambuwal. He further black mailed the party into fixing the convention in Port Hacourt with hope to deliver Tambuwal in that primary a venture that was ill-fated.
The North has continuously argued that they PDP presidential ticket should not be zoned to the South as widely demanded, claiming that the North deserves the ticket to make up with the number of years the South has ruled under PDP
They argued that in the 16 years of PDP administration, North only had two years in late President Umaru Yar’Adua who died in 2012, after only two years in office
It was gathered that the Northern elders in their meeting endorsed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and therefore detailed a retired Army General from the North West who met with all the aspirants from the zone and enjoined them to bury their presidential ambitions and queue behind the Atiku Abubakar project
It was gathered further that all the Northern aspirants, except Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state agreed to step down and support Atiku. This plot was however perfected by Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Tambuwal who in a surprise speech at the primary venue, announced his stepping down from the race, even as he called onhis supporters to support the former Vice president, Atku Abubakar
Earlier Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze had stepped down his Presidential ambition and advised his voters to support Gov. Wike.
In a statement before the convention, he said, “I, Dr. Anakwenze said the People of Southeast wants the Presidency zoned to them and fully supported by other regions as the Igbo have always done. I am therefore constrained to withdraw from the race in full support of Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State.
“Therefore, I hereby direct all my supporters, Structures and the national delegates of our party in 36 states in Nigeria, who we have consulted nationwide and who have pledged their commitment to seeing me emerge as the candidate of Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the PDP, in view of our people oriented programmes, that they believe will adequately address and redress the numerous problems confronting our dear Nation, Nigeria to now throw their support in favour of Governor Nyesom Wike”
Before the election Gov. Wike had virtually met all the delegates from all the states of the federation. With the support of Gov. Seyi Makinde and Ayo Fayose who were his foot soldiers to hijacked most of the delegates in the South West. He had firm grip of the South South except Akwa Ibom State, Edo and Bayelsa due to the oil disputes between the two state and his high handedness in the region.
In the South East, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, it was learnt could not resist Gov. Wike, including Chris Uba, who hijacked the structure in Anambra State could not resist his overtures and inducements. The situation forced Peter Obi, who was a Presidential aspirant from the state to abandon the party.
Former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh on several occasions drew the attention of PDP to the party’s leadership on the anomaly but his complaints were ignored.
Hence, Gov. Wike cleared the South East except Ebonyi State that backed their kinsman, Sen. Pius Anyim. Although Imo state was in firm control of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, the entire delegates switched loyalty to Atiku when Tambuwal announced his withdrawal from the race in support of the former Vice President.
The middle belt had divided votes as Kwara, Niger, FCT and some parts of Kogi had sympathy for the candidature of Senator Bukola Saraki. Although Benue State Governor had officially threw his weight behind the South East, the equation turned when Iyorchia Ayu an ally of former Vice President became the National Chairman of the party, even as Ayu had on several occasions declared that the NWC will be neutral, the aura of his closeness to Atiku attracted delegates to Atiku.
The North East is the strong hold of Atiku while Tambuwal was in charge of North West delegates. When it was clear that Wike was a strong force to contend with, Dr. Hayatu-Deen Mohammed was prevailed upon to step down to avoid further dissipation of Northern votes.
The calculation was that Saraki who is from the North Central will not do much damage to the Northern plan and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State who still has another tenure as Governor of state will stick to his reflection agenda and will not do much damage to the plan.
Just before the primary was about to commence, it was clear that Wike has done much incursion into the North and enough damage to Atiku. The North went back to the drawing board and pulled out the joker which is the withdrawal of Tambuwal and asking his supporters to support Atiku publicly.
A source close to the politics of the PDP disclosed that the North had concluded to retain power beyond 2023.
The source who spoke on grounds of anonymity said, “There was a grand plan by the North to remain in power beyond 2023. The North resolved to produce Northern candidates from the two political parties so that where ever the table swings, the zone will produce the next President of the country.
“As political horse trading was advancing, it became clear that the candidacy of Atiku is bleak. The PDP elders had to go and bring out their joker and that was what we all witnessed at the PDP Special National Convention”.
Atiku’s emergence, a brazing affront on Southern Nigeria people – SMBLF
Reacting to the outcome of the PDP presidential primary, some Southern and Middle Belt leaders, under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF led by South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark have slammed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for electing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its Presidential candidate, describing the action as brazing afront on the People of the South.
The SMBLF in a statement issued on Sunday, said that the unity and peace of Nigeria means little or nothing to what they described as a segment of the nation’s political elite, adding that certain candidates from the North were pressured, coerced, and even intimidated to step down for Atiku Abubakar, by some Northern leaders and elders, who eventually emerged as the flag bearer of PDP, in utter derision of the established principle of zoning and rotation of power between the north and south.
The leaders of the Middle- Belt, Ohanaeze Ndi- Igbo, Afenifere, Pan Niger Delta condemned in very strong terms what happened at the Moshood Abiola Stadium that eventually led to the emergence of Atiku Abubakar.
The statement which was jointly signed by Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw for PANDEF/South-South; Amb. Okey Emuchay for Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide/South East; Comrade Jare Ajayi for Afenifere/South West; Dr. Isuwa Dogo for Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and Hon. Ken Robinson as the Acting Coordinator SMBLF read, “the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has described the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party as a brazing affront on the people of Southern Nigeria by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“SMBLF recalls that following the release of the guidelines for the 2023 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Elders and Leaders of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, under the aegis of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum, made unequivocal proclamations on the need for the presidency to be devolved to Southern Nigeria in 2023, in respect of the time-honored practice of the rotation and zoning of high political offices between the North and the South by political parties as a way of strengthening national unity, peace, and harmony.
“SMBLF further recalls that several were held with various stakeholders across the length and breadth of the country on the subject to foster understanding, mutual respect, and oneness. The 17 Southern Governors also in a declaration after their meeting in Asaba, Delta State, in May 2021, backed the rotation of the presidency to the South in 2023.
“Sadly, it appears the unity and peace of Nigeria means little or nothing to a segment of the nation’s political elite. This was evidenced in the PDP special convention, which was held on Saturday, 28th May 2022, where certain candidates from the North were pressured, coerced, and even intimidated to step down for former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who eventually emerged as the flag bearer of PDP, in utter derision of the established principle of zoning and rotation of power between the north and south.
“Undoubtedly, the singular motive is to perpetuate the hegemony of the North given that President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the North and of Fulani origin will be completing his full tenure of eight years by this time next year.
“SMBLF, therefore, totally REJECTS the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and calls on our people of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt as well as all true lovers of peace and unity NOT TO VOTE for him or any other Northerner in the 2023 Presidential election, in the interest of posterity.
“SMBLF further urges all aspirants for the office of President from Southern Nigeria to shun the conceited attitude of individualism and self-confidence, and work collectively to achieve the shared objectives.
“Again, SMBLF calls on all politicians of Southern extraction to refuse the position of a running mate to any Northern Presidential candidate, which will equally be viewed as subjugating their people to political slavery.”
