Politics
2023: Aggrieved PDP Governors Jet off to London To Deliberate Presidential Candidate’s Choice
The group of five governors (G-5) elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in what could be described as another jamboree, have travelled to the United Kingdom for another strategic meeting.
The group led by the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has in continuation of its endless foreign trips, left the country for London in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The group which includes Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) had mobilised other party leaders including Chief Bode George, Prof Jerry Gana, etc. to form the ‘Integrity Group’ against Atiku.
While newsmen could not independently confirm if all five governors made the trip to London, a source close to Government House, Port Harcourt, however said all the governors made the trip.
The source noted that the governors would be back in Nigeria on December 30, for Wike to attend his scheduled meeting with Ogoni Council of Chiefs on December 31.
The Rivers State governor had ordered all traditional rulers in Ogoni, whether dead or alive, to attend the meeting, and that he would not tolerate any reason to be absent from the meeting.
The group of governors it was gathered jetted off from the Port Harcourt International Airport.
A top party chieftain in the state who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the trip yesterday.
“Yes, they left for UK early yesterday morning, but I can’t say the reason for the trip,” the source said.
The G-5 governors have been calling for the resignation of the PDP’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, as their minimum condition for peace in the party and to join the presidential campaign council of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Wike, the leader of the quartet, has refused to accept his defeat at the party’s presidential primary in good faith.
Since he lost the primary and even the vice presidential slot, Wike has utilised the enormous resources at his disposal to mobilise four other governors to fabricate crisis in the party.
The aggrieved governors have insisted that it was unfair for the party to have the national chairman and presidential candidate from the north.
They had maintained that they would not go back on their call for Ayu to step down to pave the way for a Southerner to succeed him as the party’s chairman.
Wike had specifically boasted that Atiku would not win the election if he and his allies do not support his presidential ambition.
A source said Wike and his team would use the opportunity of the London trip discuss the way forward on the crisis rocking the party while in London.
The source added that from London, the group of governors would also visit Madrid, Spain.
Top on the agenda for the meeting is who they would support for president in the 2023 election.
It was gathered baring any last minute change in political permutations, the group may have concluded plans to endorse Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
Obi with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke and four of the G5 governors met in London last August.
Last week, Wike said he would reveal the presidential candidate to mobilise votes for in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in January.
Speaking at the inauguration of Rumuokwurusi-Elimgbu Flyover in Rumuokwurusi town in Obio-Akpor on December 22, Wike had said he would undertake a nationwide campaign tour to tell Nigerians the most preferred presidential candidate to cast their votes for in the forthcoming election.
According to him, Nigerians need a reliable candidate they can trust to deliver the needed national transformation.
“So, from January next year, I will campaign to my people on whom to vote for. All of you, who have been in suspense, wait, January is coming. Not only will I tell them where they will vote, I will move from state to state and tell them why they should vote for the people I think they should vote for,” he added.
Journalists gathered that the group may have finally settled for Obi.
A source privy to the discussions said the decision to endorse Obi came after long and exhaustive deliberations.
“One thing is certain. The group will never endorse Atiku. Their differences are irreconcilable. Atiku knows that and has moved on,” the source who pleaded anonymity said.
“It has taken them (G5 governors) this long because there was initially no consensus other than their anti-Atiku stance. Governor Seyi Makinde was walking a tight rope considering the fact that he is only a first term governor who is seeking re-election and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is Yoruba.
“But the other four governors don’t have the same worries and taking a decision was not difficult for them.”
The source also said the coming on board of other leaders of the party like George, Gana, former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, amongst others contributed a lot.
“Beyond the immediate grievance of the G5 governors, some of these other party leaders still hold Atiku and the breakaway faction for the party’s loss of power in 2015. They have still not forgiving him because they believe that his victory will be a reward for treachery and brazen anti-party activities.
“So with people like Bode George who will never support Tinubu still nursing deep grievance against Atiku, the only choice is Obi. That is why he has become the beautiful bride.”
Another reason that may have favoured Obi, it is learnt was the tacit endorsement of Obi by some influential past leaders.
“It is no longer a secret that some of the country’s past leaders including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan have signed onto the Obi presidential project.
“There are also indications that others like Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Theophilus Danjuma are sympathetic.
“The thinking is that Nigeria is in a deep hole and they don’t want people who will continue digging to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. So, there is a near consensus that Obi approximates the kind of leadership that Nigeria needs at the moment.
“Even those that are not talking are working seriously behind the scene, mobilising and reaching out to others who are yet to be fully convinced.
“Most of the G5 governors and even the other party leaders were mentored by these former presidents and they are watching their body language,” our source further said.
On Sunday, Ortom let the cat out of the bag, literally, when he urged Nigerians to vote for Peter Obi in 2023.
According to him, Obi has the capacity to deliver Nigeria from its challenges adding that he would have canvassed for the LP flag-bearer if he was not in the PDP.
He disclosed this during a courtesy visit by Obi to the State Capital, Makurdi, where he spent his Christmas with Internally Displaced Persons (PWDs) in the State.
“Several presidential candidates have come here, and none of them has chosen to visit those IDPs camps and look at their plight to see how they are doing and give them hope that when they win, they will bring them succour, help, and hope.
“For you to have chosen to visit the IDPs on a Christmas day that you should be celebrating with your family, for me as a Christian, I say God will bless you and your aspirations. My prayer is that God will bless your aspiration to be the president of this country.
“Because I have seen capacity, faith, and hope, and I have seen someone who can bring the required equity, justice, and fairness that I have been pursuing since I became governor in 2015.
“If I were not in PDP, I would have been following you all over the place to canvass and vote for you.
“But, because I’m in PDP, I’m telling Nigerians that this man can help deliver this country from its challenges,” Ortom said.
Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, has said he would bring the price of petrol down to about ₦300 per litre if elected president in the 2027 general election.
Duke disclosed this on Wednesday while explaining his proposed approach to crude oil production and domestic fuel supply.
ALSO READ: 2027: INEC Must Prove Nigerians Wrong on Election Credibility — Donald Duke
When asked about the realistic price of petrol under his presidency, the former Cross River State governor said his target would be to reduce the pump price to about ₦300 per litre.
“To bring it to about 300 Naira. I’ve told you… it sounds so outlandish, but I’ve given you the arithmetic,” Duke said.
He explained that his proposal would be based on allocating a portion of Nigeria’s crude oil production for domestic consumption and selling the remaining volume.
According to him, if the country’s daily consumption requires 600,000 barrels, that volume would be allocated for domestic use, while the remaining one million barrels would be sold.
“Because I allocate 600,000 barrels if that’s what you consume daily. Allocate that to yourself. The other one million, you can sell,” he said.
His proposal comes as the cost of petrol remains a major issue in Nigeria, with fuel prices having significant implications for transportation, businesses and household expenses.
Duke is seeking the presidency on the platform of the PRP in the 2027 general election.
Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Donald Duke, has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prove to Nigerians that it can deliver a free and fair election.
Duke made the call on Wednesday while speaking about the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process and public confidence in INEC.
The former Cross River State governor said the onus was on the electoral commission to convince Nigerians that the 2027 election would be free and fair, noting that previous developments had left many citizens sceptical about INEC.
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“INEC has to prove… the onus is on them actually to convince Nigerians that there will be a free and fair election,” Duke said.
He recalled the postponement of the 2019 general election, which was announced just hours before voting was scheduled to begin.
According to him, the development contributed to Nigerians’ growing distrust of the electoral commission.
Duke said INEC had assured the public of its preparedness for the election before the postponement, which was announced around 4am on election day.
He criticised the explanations given for the postponement, saying the commission should have taken responsibility for the situation.
The PRP candidate, who contested the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said he was on the ballot at the time but did not participate because his party was involved in court proceedings.
Duke further said the fact that the same electoral institution remains responsible for conducting elections means INEC must now work to restore public confidence.
“That same INEC, the institution still exists, so the onus is on them,” he said.
He added: “The onus is really on INEC. They’ve got to prove the skeptics wrong. But so far, their records in the past, there’s a lot to… expectations are poor.”
Duke also recalled concerns surrounding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the 2023 general election.
“The last election in ’23, the BVAS suddenly stopped working. Now, he says it’s going to work. Let’s see,” he said.
The PRP candidate’s comments come as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, with INEC expected to conduct the presidential and National Assembly elections in January 2027.
A member of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, Austin Anigbe, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can deliver a better 2027 general election but must address the pitfalls recorded during the 2023 elections.
Anigbe made the submission on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, while reacting to INEC’s world press conference and stakeholders’ meeting on preparations for the 2027 elections.
According to him, INEC has taken note of the various activities leading to the 2027 elections and is making significant progress in its preparations.
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“From the press statement, from the conversation, I will tell you it is certain that INEC has put out what I call a D-minus plan. INEC has taken note of every event going to the 2027 elections, and INEC is on top of its game,” Anigbe said.
He, however, noted that similar assurances had been given by INEC in previous election cycles.
“But is this kind of thing new? No. We’ve had this kind of assurances in previous times,” he said.
Anigbe said what made the latest development significant was that INEC held a world press conference about 100 days before the election.
“But this is the first time there would be a press conference, a world press conference, 100 days to election that they round on election,” he said.
He said INEC had already achieved almost half of its milestone objectives, describing this as critical to the preparations for the 2027 election.
Anigbe also urged Nigerians to take advantage of the planned display of the voter register to verify their polling units ahead of election day.
“For instance, today is the seventh of October. In two days will be ninth of October, and INEC has said by the ninth of October there will be a display of the voter register at the polling unit level, or the ward level, sorry,” he said.
“So that citizens ought to go to those places now to go verify their polling unit and not get to the day of election, which is always constant with citizens by the time they get to the polling unit, their names are not there, and they start rushing that INEC is not prepared.”
He further urged eligible Nigerians without Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to take advantage of the collection exercise.
“INEC has also said by the same ninth there will be PVC collection, not distribution. So citizens should prepare. If you are ready to vote in the 2027 election, you don’t have your PVC, the time is now,” Anigbe said.
Commenting on states with the highest number of registered voters, Anigbe said the figures for Lagos and Kano were not surprising, noting that Lagos had consistently topped the list.
“For the state that topped the registration, this is not new. Lagos has always topped, followed by Kano,” he said.
However, he questioned whether the large number of registered voters would translate into actual participation on election day.
“But what I think is important: can the people in Lagos, Kano, etc. truly vote on election day?” he asked.
Anigbe said the number of registered voters should be considered alongside actual voter turnout, particularly in light of the 2023 elections.
“If Lagos is with the highest number of vote, and the vote that came out in the 2023 election compared to the number of registered voters, you would, I mean, there were a lot of voter suppression,” he said.
He also highlighted the gap between Nigeria’s large voter register and actual participation.
“Beyond just turning out these numbers that we have 103 million registered voters leading democracy numbers in Africa, we are the largest democracy, the largest number of registered voters in an election,” Anigbe said.
“It is that the number must show on the day of ballot, true we don’t have about 25 percent of voters in an election, which is very weird.”
He estimated that about 25 million Nigerians voted in the 2023 elections.
“About 25 million Nigerians voted in the 2023 elections,” he said.
Anigbe maintained that the timing of INEC’s preparations gives the commission an opportunity to improve the electoral process.
“We think that this timing, 100 days to election, gives INEC adequate preparation. And I think INEC can,” he said.
However, he stressed that INEC must learn from the previous election.
“But they have to address the pitfalls of the 2023 election, which is the question I asked. And INEC, rather than focus on the question, focused on something else,” Anigbe said.
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