Politics
PDP Crisis: Atiku’s Attempt To Reconcile With Aggrieved Govs Tardy – Osita Okechukwu
Atiku Abubakar’s efforts to make amends with Gov. Nyesom Wike’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), according to Osita Okechukwu, Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), are tardy.
For any northerner to consider leading the nation when President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, a fellow northerner, completes his term in office in May 2023, according to him, would be unfair and unpatriotic to the southern region of the nation.
He asserts that it is absurd for the veteran former vice president to believe that the 1999 Constitution’s Federal Character concept and the justice of rotation convention applied to the PDP’s Constitution will be simply ignored.
In a statement in Abuja titled, “Atiku’s attempt to reconcile with Wike-G-5 -Masquerade is belated by headwinds”, the APC chieftain described the assertion made by the Waziri Adamawa as hallucination and medicine after death.
“And on the issue that APC would loose 2023 presidential election and collapse, being a contraption of Tinubu’s party and defunct CPC, Okechukwu exclaimed, “Is it not an express loss of memory for His Excellency who was a member of the newPDP that joined in the formation of the APC, to attempt to rewrite history in pursuit of his presidential ambition?”
“This is one of the major headwinds that is blocking his puerile reconciliation with Wike-G-5-Masquerade. Atiku is a foremost beneficiary of rotation convention in 2018, during PDP’ presidential primary in Port Harcourt, which Wike hosted. It’s trite law that he who comes to equity will come with clean hands.”
Apparently referring to the recent meeting of the Wike-G-5 Masquerade with Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, Okechukwu posited that the virile letter Bala wrote to Atiku penultimate week, questioned the integrity of the former Vice-President.
“How can he wage a proxy political war against the Bauchi governor? News filtered that Atiku questioned his temerity not to step down like Governor Aminu Tambuwal. This is one of the headwinds which will make reconciliation impossible.”
“Thus the movement of the Wike-G-5-Masquerade northwards, is afloat, obviously sounding the death knell for Atiku’s ambition.”
“Methinks Wike-G-5-Masquerade, which is frantically chasing Atiku because of his infidelity to the South and PDP’s Constitution, which is the breach of power rotation between north and south; is driving him into state of delusion. For the other day, in Arewa Summit he admonished the north not to vote for Yoruba or Igbo, an unpresidential goof and, in the present instance distorting the genesis and capacity of the APC.
“Ironically, whilst Atiku is de-marketing the APC as if he has no baggage, the Wike-G-5’s masquerade is extending its fangs northwards the unintended consequence is definitely erosion of Atiku’s victory.
“If Atiku cannot unite his party, curb Peter Obi’s widespread erosion of PDP’s support base nationwide and design how to pick the remaining votes from Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s dominance in the Kano how can he win?
“The Wike-G-5-Masquerade had bolted. The so called reconciliation is a kind of medicine after death, because it is said that there is no repentance in the grave. I doubt that the Wike I know will recruit 200,000 Special Assistants for Atiku’s victory. The Wike-G-5-Masquerade are aware and experienced enough to appreciate the dangers of the Daggers-Syndrome.
“In the parlance of Italian Mafia, you cannot pull the Dagger or Pistol and put it back in the holster. You must shoot or you are killed. They know the Atiku’s DNA-Vengeance like most politicians is of high degree. He will never forgive them if he wins. And Nigerian patriots will not forgive Wike-G-5 for pardoning a desperate politician that selfishly breached rotation convention.”
“Everything is not money, for one of the headwinds Atiku face nationwide undoubtedly is that most patriots are in the same rotation of power convention boat. This is for the harmonious and corporate existence of our dear country. Added to this is Peter Obi’s pedigree and Atiku’s unnecessary proxy war in Bauchi State.
“Southwest is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s base, if there is any opposition, that’s Peter Obi. Majority Southwest voters are sophisticated and sincerely are of the candid view that it is unfair for another northerner to preside over Nigeria immediately after President Buhari,” the DG VON said.
The African Action Congress (AAC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to approve the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for 5,000 participants expected to attend the event from within and outside Nigeria.
The requests were contained in a letter dated October 21, 2026, and addressed to the President at the Presidential Villa. The party proposed November 11, 2026, for the inauguration ceremony.
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In the letter, the AAC said its requests were based on the principles of multiparty democracy, political inclusiveness and equal treatment of political parties.
The party also referred to arrangements reportedly extended to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a similar political engagement, arguing that its request should receive equal consideration.
The AAC said approving the requests would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness and equal access to public institutions, regardless of political affiliation.
“We believe that granting this request would demonstrate the Presidency’s commitment to fairness, equal access, and the principle that public institutions must serve all Nigerians without partisan discrimination,” the letter stated.
The party further requested information on the applicable procedures and conditions for approval.
The letter was signed by the AAC National Secretary, Oshiokhue Philip Ikpeminoghena, on behalf of the party.
The proposed inauguration is part of the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has launched investigations into petitions seeking the cancellation of gas distribution licences held by NIPCO Plc in five locations.
This is as the Committee accused the Executive Vice President (Downstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Dr Mumuni Dagazu, of money laundering and abuse of office.
The Committee also constituted two sub-committees to conduct preliminary investigations into the petitions, which its Chairman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, described as serious complaints requiring urgent attention.
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The decision was announced on Monday in Abuja at the technical briefing marking the end of Downstream Week 2026.
The Sub-Committee investigating the allegations against Dagazau will be chaired by Aliyu Al-Mustapha, with Amobi Ogah as Deputy Chairman. It has seven days to conduct a preliminary investigation and report its findings to the main Committee.
The Sub-Committee examining the NIPCO petition will be chaired by Peter Aniekwe, while Shehu Dalhatu would serve as Deputy Chairman.
The petition against NIPCO calls for the investigation, suspension and cancellation of gas distribution licences issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to the company for Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states, as well as the Lagos and Lekki Free Trade Zones.
In the second petition, the complainants accused Dagazau of money laundering and abuse of office. The Committee, however, stressed that the allegations had not been established and that the investigation would determine the merits of the complaints.
Addressing journalists at the event, Ugochinyere said the Committee had not reached any conclusion on either matter, assuring all parties of a fair hearing.
“These are allegations, and the Committee has reached no conclusion on them. All parties will be given a full and fair opportunity to be heard,” he said.
He added that the Committee would not ignore complaints touching on the integrity of the downstream petroleum sector and promised that Nigerians would be informed of the outcome of the investigations.
Neither NIPCO Plc nor Dagazau had publicly responded to the petitions as of the time of the briefing.
The investigations formed part of the Committee’s wider review of developments in the downstream petroleum sector during Downstream Week 2026, at which it also passed votes of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, the leadership of the NMDPRA and Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The Committee said reforms in the sector were yielding results but identified pipeline security, reliable crude supply to domestic refineries and a properly regulated import market as areas requiring sustained government attention.
Ugochinyere praised the NMDPRA’s Chief Executive, Rabiu Umar, and the authority’s Executive Directors, saying their work had helped stabilise the sector.
Figures presented at the briefing indicated that “domestic refineries increased their contribution to national petrol supply by more than 75 per cent, with no supply shortfalls recorded and more than 25 days of national sufficiency maintained.”
The committee also cited “the commissioning of the Port Harcourt Petroleum Product Laboratory, the licensing of a petroleum liquid trading exchange and the finalisation of a framework for a national strategic stock of up to 20 days,” adding that, “plans are in place to raise the reserve to 90 days in 2027.”
Despite the progress, Ugochinyere insisted that energy security depended on effective pipeline protection and adequate crude supply to local refineries.
“There is no supply security without pipeline security,” he said, adding that importation should supplement verified shortfalls rather than become a permanent substitute for domestic production.
He also called for strict enforcement of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation, saying local refineries must have reliable access to feedstock to remain viable.
The Committee disclosed that it had opened an inquiry into alleged underpayment for crude oil by some companies and questioned NNPCL over legacy transactions and refinery rehabilitation.
“We will not accept silence as an answer,” Ugochinyere warned.
The committee further urged the Federal Government to increase funding for pipeline surveillance and ensure timely provision of logistics to operators, arguing that improved security had contributed to the rise in crude oil production.
It expressed confidence that Nigeria could achieve its target of producing three million barrels of crude oil per day with sustained government support.
The committee also said it would continue to pursue amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act to strengthen provisions on crude supply to domestic refineries, licensing and protection of local refining investments, while maintaining a regulated import market.
Ugochinyere said the objective was to balance immediate security of supply with the long-term development of Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity.
“Our goal is balance: security of supply today, and a strong domestic refining industry for tomorrow,” he stressed.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council is scheduled to hold its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, to consider its campaign calendar and preparations for the campaign flag-off in Kaduna.
The meeting, according to an internal memorandum released on Sunday and signed by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, will take place at 2 p.m. at the council’s headquarters, Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja.
SEE ALSO: ‘The Entire North Has Made Up Its Mind for Tinubu’ — APC Chieftain
The notice states that attendance is “strictly by invitation” and restricted to the 134 members of the Presidential Campaign Council listed in the distribution list.
It explains that the meeting will formally commence the council’s collective assignment and provide an opportunity for members to consider and adopt the campaign calendar.
“The meeting will formally commence the collective assignment of the Council and provide an opportunity to consider and adopt the Campaign Calendar,” the memorandum stated.
It added that members would also deliberate on other related matters, including preparations for the campaign flag-off scheduled to take place in Kaduna on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
Governors, National Assembly Leaders Listed
The distribution list includes state governors, National Assembly leaders and officials assigned to various campaign directorates.
Among those listed as state coordinators are Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
Others include Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas are also listed among the council’s leadership.
Campaign Directorates
The memorandum identifies officials responsible for coordinating different aspects of the campaign, including media and strategic communications, new media, finance and treasury, fundraising, policy and manifesto development, legal affairs, security and intelligence, data management, and contact and mobilisation.
The Directorate of Media and Strategic Communications lists Mohammed Idris Malagi as Coordinating Director I and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz as Coordinating Secretary I.
Segun Dada and Solomon Arowolo are listed as director and secretary, respectively, of the Directorate of New Media.
Other directorates listed include infrastructure mobilisation and sensitisation, creative sector mobilisation, artisan mobilisation, diaspora mobilisation, women mobilisation, sport sector mobilisation and mobilisation of people living with disabilities.
The document also identifies a Parliamentary Mobilisation Directorate for State Assemblies.
In the memorandum, Uzodimma thanked members for their cooperation and commitment to the assignment.
“Thank you for your usual cooperation and dedication to the success of this important assignment,” he stated.
The meeting is scheduled to hold four days before the campaign flag-off in Kaduna, which the memorandum identifies as a key item for discussion.
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