There is fresh panic in the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over his chances in the February election, following the latest verbal attack on some of his key allies by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Obasanjo, at a recent meeting with a PDP delegation at his Abeokuta residence, had come hard on two Atiku’s allies, branding them betrayers.

The duo, who hold top positions in the ‘Atiku for president’ team, were part of the party’s delegation to Abeokuta last weekend.

The Rivers State chapter of the PDP also flayed the Atiku camp yesterday in response to allegations of thuggery leveled at its members by persons supporting the party’s presidential candidate in the state.

The PDP delegation to Obasanjo had gone to seek his support for the party in the February election but got more than it bargained for when the former president tongue lashed two members of the team for what he called their betrayal acts.

One was accused of betraying the collective decision of Southern governors that the presidency should rotate to the South in 2023 while the other was accused of betraying his party over sharing of positions way back in 2011.

Party sources said the dressing down was not a good omen for the PDP especially in the South West where Atiku’s chances are generally seen as nothing to write home about.

On the delegation were former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Sule Lamido as well as Atiku’s running mate,Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

A source privy to the discussion said: “Baba was categorical in disappointment with one of the men over his support for Atiku. While he recognised the person’s right to freedom of choice, he expressed surprise that a prominent southern politician could oppose the clamour for power to shift to the south after eight years of northern presidency.

“He (Obasanjo) also recalled how the other person similarly betrayed the leadership of the PDP to pitch tent with the opposition to thwart the emergence of the party’s anointed candidate for the position of the Speaker.

“He kept wondering if such persons could be trusted to keep promises and show patriotism. His displeasure with the duo created tension throughout the parley as the former president refused to endorse Atiku’s presidential ambition.”

A party leader from Osun State said: “Our concern in the Southwest has been heightened by what is reported to have transpired when some PDP leaders met with former President Obasanjo in Abeokuta.

“The elder-statesman wasted no time in telling our representatives at the meeting that it was wrong for southerners to oppose power shift to the South in 2023. He has his reasons, but his position, as a prominent political force in the zone, will not help our party’s chances in the Southwest.

“So, it is proper for us to be worried. But I can assure you that we are not deterred by the development.

“There are numerous prominent south westerners who are supporting Atiku’s aspiration. We are working hard to ensure that their voices are heard too. “Obasanjo’s position is personal to him and he is free to make his choice. We do not begrudge him.

“Those who were at the meeting too did not leave the place without explaining what he didn’t understand to him. The PDP wants to win election and we believe that with Atiku, we stand a good chance. We will not give up on canvassing the good people of the zone to vote PDP. Don’t forget that Tinubu (APC presidential candidate) is from the Southwest and we have him to contend with in the zone.”

Besides the feared backlash of the Obasanjo dressing down,The Nation also gathered that Atiku’s supporters are bothered about the poor turnout at his presidential campaign rally in Lagos during the week.

A source said not only was the PDP presidential candidate displeased with the abysmally low turnout of supporters at the event, he saw the development as a bad omen.

“To many of us, if Atiku must do well in 2023, we must do something about Lagos. The last rally in Lagos frightened us all. The turnout was nothing to write home about. Truth be told, we were all jolted by the reality of the situation in Lagos,” he said.

“But I must tell you that the situation is not a true reflection of Atiku’s popularity in the state. He has massive followership in the state and he will enjoy support during the election.

“What happened was the result of infightings among our party leaders in the state. We are working hard to resolve some issues going forward and I believe very strongly that things will change for good before the next election. PDP is strong in Lagos and we will prove that at the general election.”

It was also learnt that developments within the Oyo State chapter of the party are bothering Atiku’s allies as they fear that Governor Seyi Makinde’s disposition to the PDP candidate’s ambition will hurt the chances in February.

Atiku’s photograph is conspicuously missing on the branded vehicles for Makinde’s re-election campaign in the state.

Shedding light on the issue, the Oyo State governor said it was not compulsory, as every politician is free to choose his own campaign strategy.

The G-5 PDP governors -Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), Ifeanyi Ugwunayi (Enugu) and Makinde – had pulled out of the party’s presidential campaign team after the party failed to meet their demand for the removal of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

They publicly announced that they would not campaign for Atiku in their various states. Makinde was the only PDP governor in the Southwest before the recent emergence of Ademola Adeleke as governor of Osun State.

Makinde said: “I have seen branded cars by state House of Assembly candidates with just pictures of others running for House of Representatives in their localities. “Anybody that branded cars with his own money… You see, you can’t force them to put my own picture or someone else’s picture so as to vote for him.

“I believe those that left the party did so owing to their political ambitions. Work is ongoing at bringing every party member together ahead of the 2023 general elections. Of course, we are reaching out to them, while some are vindicated on dropping their ambitions to join back in the party.”

Rivers PDP flays Atiku’s campaigners over thuggery allegation

The Rivers State chapter of the PDP yesterday rejected allegations of thuggery leveled at its members by persons supporting the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the state.

Speaking at the PDP Secretariat in Port Harcourt, the party’s Campaign Council, described as illogical and ill-conceived, claims by Atiku’s spokesman in Rivers that the party was planning to destroy Atiku’s billboards and posters.

The Chairman, Publicity and Communications Committee of the council, Ogbonna Nwuke, said the allegation that the Rivers PDP planned to recruit 20 political thugs in each of the 23 local government areas of the state to intimidate innocent citizens was unfortunate.

Nwuke said: “We would not have wasted energy in responding to these allegations that are as worthless as the paper on which they are written. The reason is that they are products of poor workmen who are usually in the habit of quarrelling with their tools.

“Despite the claims, billboards carrying the faces of candidates of other political parties, including those that are aspiring for the presidency, are standing elegantly along major roads and streets. Nobody in the PDP loyal to the leadership of Governor Wike has removed them.

*Our position is that agents of the presidential candidate have resorted to underhand practices in an attempt to stir distrust and unrest in Rivers State. We have stumbled upon a plan by the pro-Atiku group led by a war canoe chief, supported by some rogue politicians who believe in divide and rule tactics, to use murderers, assassins and ex-prisoners to inflict bodily harm on innocent and defenseless Rivers people.

“The idea, we have learnt, is to destabilise a peaceful state, create fear and unrest and cause public disaffection through the generation of barefaced terror and mind-boggling violence. The idea is to cover up their evil plan to attack the state, stimulate tension and attempt to halt the ongoing and commendable bid by Governor Nyesom Wike to deliver more facilities to the good people of Rivers State in accordance with his electoral promises.

“As part of the plan, they are already running on the theory of the big lie by fabricating all kinds of tales, so they can later claim they told us so. In their desperation, they have even claimed that we are assembling thugs”.

Besides, Nwuke said the allegations were at variance with the provisions of the Electoral Act adding that the Atiku campaigners were demonstrating crass ignorance.

He said: “Votes will count in this election. The people will decide who rules them. Election results shall be transmitted electronically. INEC has introduced BVAS, meaning that only those who are qualified to vote will take part in the forthcoming elections. The hijack of polling boxes has become obsolete. No one can write results. That practice has become archaic. So, what will thugs do?

“Besides, the Wike administration has surpassed all expectations in terms of project delivery. The Rivers people know this, the Nigerian people appreciate this fact and the Federal Government has acknowledged this reality.

“Ex-agitators in the Niger Delta who have pitched camps with some candidates as we prepare for election are doing their best to campaign reasonably and peacefully. They are refusing to be dragged into the fray by blood thirsty politicians who are incidentally working for Atiku.

“Armed with the kind of scorecard that Governor Wike has put on the table, the goodwill that the PDP in Rivers State is enjoying, what do we need thugs for?

“Let us even for one second consider statistical data. Atiku’s Spokesman in Rivers State is claiming that the Rivers PDP of which he is part is recruiting 20 thugs per LGA.

“Some ‘LGAs like Khana and Etche have at least 19 wards. Is Atiku’s Spokesman saying that every ward will have an average of one thug each? If this is correct, what impact will one or two thugs have in a ward comprised of so many Electoral Units?

“This shows how hollow and how shallow these claims are. This exposes the lie that Atiku’a uncouth spokesman is telling the world. Those who are spinning these lies however forget that the wildcat allegations which are being deployed cannot, and will not earn sane votes for the presidential flag-bearer of the PDP.” (The Nation)

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