2023: Atiku battles PDP governors for presidential ticket

Olusesan Laoye

With the declaration of his presidential ambition under the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), where he was also its flag bearer in 2019 election, it is now glaring that former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is set for a show down with the governors, who have been having their ways and dictating what goes on and who gets what in the party. The governors also prefer one of their own for the position.

Atiku as envisaged, did not hide his feelings for the presidential bid, despite the opposition of the governors, whose plan was to discard those they described as old horses in holding key positions in the party. The governors from their actions in recent times, believed that it was time for the young Turks of the party to take over and dictate the pace.

Their intention is to have one of their own as the presidential flag bearer in the coming 2023 election, hence their preference for a consensus candidate amongst them. With Atiku now out, that game plan may not work and being a big player and strong pillar of the PDP, there is now the likelihood of the unity of the governors being dismantled with Atiku’s good will, structures and tentacles all over the place.

As a political analyst and public commentator Elder Moses Oloròde, who was the former Chief Press Secretary, to the former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo posited that this time around that the governors intend to take total control of the party and dictate who gets the presidential ticket, may not work because of the antecedence of Atiku who has his tentacles all over the country.

According to elder Olorode, Atiku is a game changer and a leader who has the capacity to dislodge and break the ranks of the governors, who are new in the game. The detest of the governors for the older generations in holding key political offices in the party, manifested during the last National convention of the party, which produced the present Dr. Iyorcha Ayu’s led National Executive Committee.

The governors in preference to the younger generations and in getting the grip of the party, ensured that they shoved aside the likes of Atiku, Sule Lamido, Bukola Saraki and others, to ensure that only the candidates they handpicked for the party’s positions got elected.

The positions taken by the governors were indications that itc could be difficult for any other person not within their ranks to contest any position, especially the presidency, in which some of them are interested.

Already some of them from both the Southern and Northern parts of the country have openly declared their Intention to contest the presidency.

Those from the South are the governors of Rivers State, Nyeson Wike, Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Others are Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, forner governor Peter Obi amongst others. Those from the North and who are currently in hot contention are governors of Bauchi State Bala Muhammed and Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal.

It was however believed that with the governors showing their might and determination to outwit others not with them in the race, Atiku who was taken aback during the party’s National convention, when he thought his views and choices would take prominence, but was shattered, had gone back to the drawing board to restrategise on how to be relevant once more and clinch the ticket of the party as he did in 2018, for the 2019 presidential race ,which he believed he won but was rigged out, by the ruling Party, which had the incumbent as its candidate.

Political analysts say that Atiku had put all the antics and mechanism of the governors into consideration before his declaration with the determination to break their ranks and win majority to his side. It was also clear too, that the governors, especially those from the North were determined to slug it out with him. Just last a meeting of the three aspirants from met in Bauch to reach a consensus for the ticket.

They are Bukola Saraki, Governor Tambuwal and Governor Bala Mohammed. Atiku did attend, although proposed to involve him.
Though those from the South, like Wike and Okowa are making waves, both their counterparts and Atiku believed that they may not make it because the the party may have tactically shifted grounds to the North to produce its candidate.

It was argued that Atiku being a powerful force in the party, has started a new plan, having realised that the governors would have full control of the delegates from their respective states, and now working to control all the delegates from 22 states not controlled by the party. Work, it was said has been going on in all the states with particular interest in those 22 states.

Atiku it was said, has no problem in the state because he has strong structures built over the years in the quest lfor his presidential aspiration, which none of the governors has.

According to one of his supporters in Osun State, Prince Lateef Ajijola, “I want to say that what the governors have refused to realised is the fact that Atiku still remains a man to beat for the PDP presidential ticket because he has been working and he has spread his tentacles across all the states of the Federation.”

He said that if it were open contest none of the governors could beat him for the ticket of the party. From the feelers available to the Business Hallmark, Atiku has been going round the states and had even met some of the governors privately to seek for their support. Although it was learnt that those he met had promised but would not give in just like that.

It was further learnt that some of the southern governors he met, told him that they could still support him but are not willing to go against the resolutions of the Southern Governors Forum which they were part of, that power must shift at the federal to the zone.

It would be recalled that Atiku had on several occasions stated that zoning has nothing to do with leadership and performance, saying “Zoning has never been Nigeria’s problem neither will it be the solution.”

He repeated this during his present declaration for the presidency, which was not attended by the PDP governors, except the governor from his home state Adamawa, Umaru Fintiri who was the chief host.

Also, former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obì who is equally in the race for the ticket of the party was criticized for attending. But Obi has a different perception to what he called the parochial thinking of some people about life and politics. He said he played politics differently and he is not the type that mixes politics with relationship, saying “politics not a war.”

He described Atiku as his leader, boss and Senior brother. “If he invites me for anything I will go”. He added, “I always say Atiku is a unifier. He believes in Nigeria. He is a good man and anytime he invites me for anything I will be there.” Obi justifying why he was at Atiku’s declaration.

Many party leaders saw his action as jumping the gun, as he declared fir the position before the 36 member Zoning Committee set up by the party to determine where the candidate will emerge from was yet to be inaugurated. They believe he was forcing the hand of the party and foreclosing the outcome of the committee’s report.

Atiku during his declaration for his bid in 2023 promised to focus on Education, devolution of power and more resources to the federating units and allow open doors to hear the grieving voices of Nigerians and ready to be a unifier to bond the broken union. He also promised good leadership and fairness.

The governors spearheaded by Wike was said to be working on consensus arrangements that would favour one of them. As a result, Wike was said to be angry with Atiku’s statement that baring all situations, he would clinch the ticket of the party. The governor said that Atiku has underrated a lot of people.”Picking PDP bearer would shock everybody,” he declared.

Political observers are, however looking at the role the new National chairman of the party, Professor Iyorcha Ayu would play in picking the candidate of the party. Ayu no doubt has been a good associate and confidant of Atiku since he was the vice President under former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Their relationships grew to the extent that Ayu was the head of his Presìdential Campaign team in 2007 when he, Atiku, contested under the Action Congress (AC). Ayu has never hidden his love for Atiku while Atiku too has never deserted him, since he left Obasanjo during the heat of his third term bid.

Even, during the contest for the Chairmanship of the party, Atiku was said to have stood with Ayu against David Mark who was believed would be more imposing as chairman.
The argument therefore, is, will Ayu now stay on the side of the governors or with Atiku, his long standing friend?.

Àyu, too, once described Atiku as a modern Industrialist, who fits a modern president that is needed by Nigeria. Whatever the case may be time will tell.