Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a former Minister of Transport and member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in this interview with TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI and CHIAMAKA OSUAGWU speaks on the recently concluded Osun governorship election, Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the presidential candidate of his party and other issues. Excerpts:

What is your perspective on the outcome of the Osun governorship election which was eventually won by the APC after INEC, the electoral umpire declared the election inconclusive and a rerun was ordered?

I am a lawyer, and as a result, I know that we have challenged that election in the Tribunal. By the grace of God, the judges at the Tribunal will rule on the matter. I am not going to comment further since it is already in court, but I just want to say that we leave everything for the Tribunal, and we know we are going to get justice from the Tribunal. There was a time Daily Independent assisted us in publishing a story when a group of stakeholders met in my house in Ilesha and said INEC should please transfer the REC, Mr. Segun Agbaje but INEC refused to listen to us and they connived with APC to manipulate the election. Like I said, it is not for me to decide the case, because the matter is legal, and there are very good judges of repute who are in that Tribunal. PDP won the election, and that is why APC could not jubilate when they were proclaimed to have won. Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder with the Osun election because we have made up our minds that never again are we going to subdue our lives to that of misery, tribulation, and slavery. The PDP has made up their mind to defend the people to the last. I pray and I am confident that by the grace of God, the Tribunal will give us justice.

With the APC as the party at the centre, and with their intention to win Osun state in the 2019 presidential election, are you sure that you are going to get justice?

We are very confident that the tribunal will give us justice because I as a lawyer have gone through list of the judges that make up the tribunal, and I think they are honourable men, and honestly, I believe that we are going to get justice. Having said that, the APC should be very careful the way they deal with Nigeria because if they think they can manipulate the legal process the way they are shamelessly manipulating it all over Nigeria, then they may rig Nigeria out of existence. It won’t happen overnight, it will be a process, and in the end, there will be no more Nigeria. We are Nigerians and we love this country but if the APC continue to run the country shamelessly the way they are doing, then they are inviting trouble which they will not be able to handle.

The PDP had its elective national convention during the weekend where it elected its presidential candidate. Were you surprised at the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of your party?

I must confess to you that we all knew about three weeks back that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will win because the PDP delegates all over the states, seemed to have made up their minds that they were going for the APC jugular. All the aspirants that came out were good candidates. I was a member of the PDP Screening Panel that screened all the candidates, and I saw that any of the 12 people that we recommended could have ruled Nigeria very well, but three weeks back, we knew that Atiku was going to win because we have all made up our minds that we will ensure the victory of the PDP in 2019 election by fielding a candidate that can match the APC for anything that they want to bring out. We are very happy when Atiku emerged and we are also happy that the convention went peacefully. There was no implosion as many naysayers predicted.

Few weeks ago, you said that whoever emerges as the presidential candidate of the PDP will beat President Buhari hands down. Are you still standing by that word with Atiku’s emergence?

Yes! I am standing on the word that whoever and we have chosen Atiku Abubakar – or any of the 12 that I was a member of the screening panel headed by the former vice president, Namadi Sambo, and we did a good job. I was very happy, and I came back to my hometown in Osun state feeling so happy that we have such a calibre of men saying that they want to be the president of Nigeria as PDP candidate. Any of them would beat President Buhari. If President Buhari manipulates the 2019 election in a way that will destroy the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians, he should forget it.

People are already talking about the Obasanjo factor. Obasanjo once said over his dead body will Atiku become the president. Do you see Atiku making any headway with Obasanjo against him?

They don’t know Obasanjo but I know Obasanjo very well. I used to be a very good friend of Obasanjo. In fact, he took me to Angola when I was at the age of 33, and eventually he sacked me from my job. What I want to assure you is that when it comes to Nigeria, Obasanjo will stay with Nigeria. Whoever thinks that because Atiku has emerged, Obasanjo will be against him is making a mistake. Obasanjo will not go against Atiku because I believe and I think Obasanjo having led the coalition, and is still leading the coalition to ensure the removal of Buhari from power, will never discriminate against Atiku Abubakar; whatever happened between them happened when Obasanjo was President. Obasanjo has shown that on some occasions, he goes beyond trivialities, he is very objective. I have no doubt in my heart that eventually, Obasanjo will endorse Atiku. It will surprise Nigerians, because he loves Nigeria, I can assure that. When he took me to Angola, he said something that it has been his wish to fight for African liberation in South Africa. I must confess that I don’t agree with him, but nobody can fault Obasanjo’s nationalistic feelings for Nigeria, and I believe that Obasanjo will definitely allow those nationalistic feelings to come to play.

Let us talk about the voting pattern in 2019. We know South-South and South-East are predominantly for PDP, but in the last three years, President Buhari seems to have made some in-road into these places. Do you see the Igbo voting for him?

He has not made any in-road. You will see what will happen. Atiku Abubakar’s nomination by the PDP will change and destroy that equation. I can assure you that the South-East and the South-South, alongside the South-West, will vote Atiku. Atiku is very strong in the North. He comes from Adamawa state, but he is very strong in other states. What are you going to accuse him of? They said he cannot go to the United States, but it is a lie. I can assure you that America will not base her judgement on mundane issues. Has anyone accused him of taking cocaine to America? Or has he been accused of doing anything as against the interest of America? America will go with the man that will ensure that her interests are protected. America will protect her interest all everywhere in the world, and America know that Atiku Abubakar is the choice of the Nigerian people, and when that is manifested in the 2019 election, America will want Atiku Abubakar. We are an ant when it comes to America, and America will not use a sledge hammer to kill an ant. America will understand our politics, and they will do everything in their power to assist us in our development to ensure that we put off slavery.

Where do you think the choice of the running mate should come from?

I don’t see the reason why the running mate should not come from the South-East.

South-East? Why not South-West?

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has been the running mate for four years.

Don’t you think the PDP should balance that equation too by bringing the running mate from the South West?

What is important to the South-West now, is the issue of the person who will lead Nigeria into proper redefinition of the federal nature of our country’s existence. It is very crucial to the South- West and whoever will assure us that, is the person we will vote for. I want to assure you that the Atiku Abubakar victory in Port Harcourt was also determined by the votes of South western delegates, so I know very well that the South-west will not make themselves part and parcel of the slavish government that Buhari has imposed on Nigeria since 2015.

So you are of the strong opinion that the South-East should produce a running mate?

I think the South-East should produce a running mate. Not because I was pro-Biafra during the civil war, but I just know that the South-East is fit to provide the vice president. But if they want to give us in the South-West, we will be very happy. We have men who can do it, but I think it should be the South-East.


https://independent.ng/atikus-running-mate-should-come-from-south-east-babatope/

If Atiku have sense let him don't do grave mistate by giving VP slot to SW because they wil not give him more than 30% votes..
VP slot should go to south East or else....

Everything as written down in this interview is balanced

We don gree!
PDP na umbrella, not broom!

Those who sincerely want Atiku to win knows he must pick his VP from the SE but those that want him to lose miserably, especially the Yorubas in APC are the ones clamoring for Yoruba VP so they could disgrace Atiku. PDP and Atiku needs to use their number 6 because PDP and Atiku needs Igbos more than Igbos needs them!!!

IGBOS CAN TORPEDO THE MOMENTUM PDP/ATIKU HAS GATHERED RECENTLY. SE/SS WILL GIVE BLOCK VOTE WHICH WILL BE TRIPLE OF WHATEVER THE YORUBAS CAN EVER GIVE THEM, WHILE A TOTAL BOYCOTT FROM THESE 2 REGIONS INCLUDING THEIR DIASPORA POPULATION WILL BE DISASTROUS FOR PDP/ATIKU!!!

VP should come from SE and am convinced tinubu will work for atiku.

Atiku will deliver lagos to pdp cos Ambode won't use his govt money to fund traitors campaign

Obasanjo and Yorubas ruled this country for 8 years through PDP. Where then is the marginalization they are ranting about?


South Westerners can't reap where they never sowed naa... The VP must surely come from South East.


cc Seunmsg Bolustical Your son have ruled for 8yrs and another have represented as VP for another 4years.

'Ebino Topsy's' killer punch settles d unnecessary debate.

from today no baboon will ever eat while d monkey works

genternity:
If Atiku have sense let him don't do grave mistate by giving VP slot to SW because they wil not give him more than 30% votes..
VP slot should go to south East or else....

South west can't give ATIKU the required votes even if he picks from south west, that is because the south west love dividing their votes inorder not to lose either ways. But south east will give him 100% and since ATIKU is north and has influence issues of disfranchising Igbos from voting in the north for PDP will be buried. Igbos have more population than the south west. These are facts

*IF THE BIBLE WERE TO BE WRITTEN IN OUR TIME, THE STORY OF ATIKU COULD HAVE BEEN THUS*

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRIALS OF ATIKU THE SON OF ABUBAKAR

1. In the seventh year that king Obasanjo reigned over the kingdom, a great trouble broke out in the land. For when his time was come nigh that he may descend from the throne that he called unto himself noble men in the land.

2. And he declared unto them saying: "Now that my days on the throne are few, allow me therefore to rule over thee for another four years".

3. And he gathered together of them that maketh laws in the Red Chamber in the city of the king, and even unto they in the Green Chamber, that they may amend the books of the law to favour him.

4. But this thing grieved Atiku the son of Abubakar who was the king's deputy. And he said unto his master, "howbeit seekest thou to rule over the people for another term? sweareth not thou by the name of thy god to set me upon the throne after thee?

5. Practice thou not this great evil against me and against the kingdom for it is written in the books of the law that a king may not reign but for two terms which equal eight years''. But these words changeth not the heart of the king.

6. And Atiku conspired with the Governors of the provinces and of the men who maketh laws in the city of the great king and they rejected king Obasanjo that he may continually reign over the kingdom.

7. And the king was wrought with grave anger and he declared according to these words to Atiku the son of Abubakar saying, "because thou hath done this great evil unto me, thou shall no longer sit upon the throne of this kingdom even unto thy death".

8. When the son of Abubakar saw that the king favoureth him not, that he departed from the camp of the king by the name PDP, and pitched his tent in the camp of the king's adversaries by the name ACN that he may contend the throne of the kingdom.

9. And it came to pass that Governor Yaradua who ruleth over the province of Katsina found favour in the sight of king Obasanjo. And when the time was come for the appointment of the king that he defeated Atiku and was appointed and anointed king over the kingdom. And king Yaradua ruleth the kingdom with the fear of God. But his days as king was full of affliction.

10. And when king Yaradua gave up the ghost that Goodluck the son of Jonathan who siteth by his side as the deputy reigned after him. But when the time was come nigh that the son of Jonathan be appointed again that Atiku departed from the camp of the king's adversaries and entered into the king's camp that he may be appointed.

11 . But the son of Jonathan defeated Atiku again for he spake according to these words unto the people, "I feel thy pains brethren for I was once like thee. I wore no sandals on the soul of my feet in the years of my youth when seeketh I knowledge, for my parents were of little means". And the people loved him and appointed him.

12. And the host of the other camps were vexed with a great vexation. For sixteen years they made battle against the king's camp and hath not prevailed against it.

13. And a certain noble man by the name Audu the son of Ogbe declared unto the leaders of the camps that contended the throne with the king's camp saying: "howbeit thinkest thou in thy heart to prevail against the king's camp if comest thou not together as one?

14. Harken to my voice this day, come let us reason together that we may enlarge our coast and verily, verily I say unto thee, the throne of the kingdom shall be delivered into our hands.

15. Of the camps that came together that day to form the APC were ACN from the west, ANPP from the North and a part of APGA from the East of the kingdom. Even the unhappy in the camp of PDP crossed over into the camp too.

16. And Atiku the son of Abubakar departed again from the king's camp by the name PDP and entered into the camp of the king's adversaries that he may contend the throne.

17. But Mohammed the son of Buhari was favoured among them that seeketh the throne from the camp of the APC for he swore unto the leaders of the camp saying, "Behold brethren, I am full of age and my eyes are becoming dim, suffer me to ascend unto the throne for I shall only reign for four years". And Buhari was anointed king over the kingdom.

18. And it troubled the son of Abubakar in his heart that he was rejected as king again. But he saith in his heart, I shall be of long suffering and remain in this camp for I shall ascend unto the throne after the fourth year of king Buhari.

19. But it came to pass that as the end of the fourth year of king Buhari's reign was at hand that the advisers in the king's court said unto him, be of good courage, gird thy loins and present thyself to be appointed again to reign over the kingdom for another four years.

20. And when Atiku heard of these words that he was vexed with anger and he repenteth that he joined the APC.

21. And he said, "I shall arise and go back to PDP which is the camp of my youth. And I shall declare unto them, “I have sinned against thee and against God. Accept me this day that I may once again contend the throne in thy bosom”.

22. And on the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month of the year before a new king is appointed that Atiku the son of Abubakar departed from the camp of APC and joined the camp of his youth.

23. And there was great jubilation in the camp of PDP that day for they said, “Verily, the prodigal son returneth.

24. But they forgot that Aremu, the son of Obasanjo, who still sees himself as the King maker, will not approve of it.

Nemesis001:
Obasanjo and Yorubas ruled this country for 8 years through PDP. Where then is the marginalization they are ranting about?


South Westerners can't reap where they never sowed naa... The VP must surely come from South East.


cc Seunmsg Bolustical Your son have ruled for 8yrs and another have represented as VP for another 4years.

You are a true nationalist. Very good analysis.

before nko. it's majority opinion so that all will atikulate

This is why I love Yoruba Christians, so fair and considerate in thinking.

You mean you sat down and composed this epistle this morning? Go and apply for N-power job

Jammey6551:


*IF THE BIBLE WERE TO BE WRITTEN IN OUR TIME, THE STORY OF ATIKU COULD HAVE BEEN THUS*

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRIALS OF ATIKU THE SON OF ABUBAKAR

1. In the seventh year that king Obasanjo reigned over the kingdom, a great trouble broke out in the land. For when his time was come nigh that he may descend from the throne that he called unto himself noble men in the land.

2. And he declared unto them saying: "Now that my days on the throne are few, allow me therefore to rule over thee for another four years".

3. And he gathered together of them that maketh laws in the Red Chamber in the city of the king, and even unto they in the Green Chamber, that they may amend the books of the law to favour him.

4. But this thing grieved Atiku the son of Abubakar who was the king's deputy. And he said unto his master, "howbeit seekest thou to rule over the people for another term? sweareth not thou by the name of thy god to set me upon the throne after thee?

5. Practice thou not this great evil against me and against the kingdom for it is written in the books of the law that a king may not reign but for two terms which equal eight years''. But these words changeth not the heart of the king.

6. And Atiku conspired with the Governors of the provinces and of the men who maketh laws in the city of the great king and they rejected king Obasanjo that he may continually reign over the kingdom.

7. And the king was wrought with grave anger and he declared according to these words to Atiku the son of Abubakar saying, "because thou hath done this great evil unto me, thou shall no longer sit upon the throne of this kingdom even unto thy death".

8. When the son of Abubakar saw that the king favoureth him not, that he departed from the camp of the king by the name PDP, and pitched his tent in the camp of the king's adversaries by the name ACN that he may contend the throne of the kingdom.

9. And it came to pass that Governor Yaradua who ruleth over the province of Katsina found favour in the sight of king Obasanjo. And when the time was come for the appointment of the king that he defeated Atiku and was appointed and anointed king over the kingdom. And king Yaradua ruleth the kingdom with the fear of God. But his days as king was full of affliction.

10. And when king Yaradua gave up the ghost that Goodluck the son of Jonathan who siteth by his side as the deputy reigned after him. But when the time was come nigh that the son of Jonathan be appointed again that Atiku departed from the camp of the king's adversaries and entered into the king's camp that he may be appointed.

11 . But the son of Jonathan defeated Atiku again for he spake according to these words unto the people, "I feel thy pains brethren for I was once like thee. I wore no sandals on the soul of my feet in the years of my youth when seeketh I knowledge, for my parents were of little means". And the people loved him and appointed him.

12. And the host of the other camps were vexed with a great vexation. For sixteen years they made battle against the king's camp and hath not prevailed against it.

13. And a certain noble man by the name Audu the son of Ogbe declared unto the leaders of the camps that contended the throne with the king's camp saying: "howbeit thinkest thou in thy heart to prevail against the king's camp if comest thou not together as one?

14. Harken to my voice this day, come let us reason together that we may enlarge our coast and verily, verily I say unto thee, the throne of the kingdom shall be delivered into our hands.

15. Of the camps that came together that day to form the APC were ACN from the west, ANPP from the North and a part of APGA from the East of the kingdom. Even the unhappy in the camp of PDP crossed over into the camp too.

16. And Atiku the son of Abubakar departed again from the king's camp by the name PDP and entered into the camp of the king's adversaries that he may contend the throne.

17. But Mohammed the son of Buhari was favoured among them that seeketh the throne from the camp of the APC for he swore unto the leaders of the camp saying, "Behold brethren, I am full of age and my eyes are becoming dim, suffer me to ascend unto the throne for I shall only reign for four years". And Buhari was anointed king over the kingdom.

18. And it troubled the son of Abubakar in his heart that he was rejected as king again. But he saith in his heart, I shall be of long suffering and remain in this camp for I shall ascend unto the throne after the fourth year of king Buhari.

19. But it came to pass that as the end of the fourth year of king Buhari's reign was at hand that the advisers in the king's court said unto him, be of good courage, gird thy loins and present thyself to be appointed again to reign over the kingdom for another four years.

20. And when Atiku heard of these words that he was vexed with anger and he repenteth that he joined the APC.

21. And he said, "I shall arise and go back to PDP which is the camp of my youth. And I shall declare unto them, “I have sinned against thee and against God. Accept me this day that I may once again contend the throne in thy bosom”.

22. And on the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month of the year before a new king is appointed that Atiku the son of Abubakar departed from the camp of APC and joined the camp of his youth.

23. And there was great jubilation in the camp of PDP that day for they said, “Verily, the prodigal son returneth.

24. But they forgot that Aremu, the son of Obasanjo, who still sees himself as the King maker, will not approve of it.

You mean you sat down and composed this epistle this morning? Go and apply for N-ppwer job

Jammey6551:


*IF THE BIBLE WERE TO BE WRITTEN IN OUR TIME, THE STORY OF ATIKU COULD HAVE BEEN THUS*

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TRIALS OF ATIKU THE SON OF ABUBAKAR

1. In the seventh year that king Obasanjo reigned over the kingdom, a great trouble broke out in the land. For when his time was come nigh that he may descend from the throne that he called unto himself noble men in the land.

2. And he declared unto them saying: "Now that my days on the throne are few, allow me therefore to rule over thee for another four years".

3. And he gathered together of them that maketh laws in the Red Chamber in the city of the king, and even unto they in the Green Chamber, that they may amend the books of the law to favour him.

4. But this thing grieved Atiku the son of Abubakar who was the king's deputy. And he said unto his master, "howbeit seekest thou to rule over the people for another term? sweareth not thou by the name of thy god to set me upon the throne after thee?

5. Practice thou not this great evil against me and against the kingdom for it is written in the books of the law that a king may not reign but for two terms which equal eight years''. But these words changeth not the heart of the king.

6. And Atiku conspired with the Governors of the provinces and of the men who maketh laws in the city of the great king and they rejected king Obasanjo that he may continually reign over the kingdom.

7. And the king was wrought with grave anger and he declared according to these words to Atiku the son of Abubakar saying, "because thou hath done this great evil unto me, thou shall no longer sit upon the throne of this kingdom even unto thy death".

8. When the son of Abubakar saw that the king favoureth him not, that he departed from the camp of the king by the name PDP, and pitched his tent in the camp of the king's adversaries by the name ACN that he may contend the throne of the kingdom.

9. And it came to pass that Governor Yaradua who ruleth over the province of Katsina found favour in the sight of king Obasanjo. And when the time was come for the appointment of the king that he defeated Atiku and was appointed and anointed king over the kingdom. And king Yaradua ruleth the kingdom with the fear of God. But his days as king was full of affliction.

10. And when king Yaradua gave up the ghost that Goodluck the son of Jonathan who siteth by his side as the deputy reigned after him. But when the time was come nigh that the son of Jonathan be appointed again that Atiku departed from the camp of the king's adversaries and entered into the king's camp that he may be appointed.

11 . But the son of Jonathan defeated Atiku again for he spake according to these words unto the people, "I feel thy pains brethren for I was once like thee. I wore no sandals on the soul of my feet in the years of my youth when seeketh I knowledge, for my parents were of little means". And the people loved him and appointed him.

12. And the host of the other camps were vexed with a great vexation. For sixteen years they made battle against the king's camp and hath not prevailed against it.

13. And a certain noble man by the name Audu the son of Ogbe declared unto the leaders of the camps that contended the throne with the king's camp saying: "howbeit thinkest thou in thy heart to prevail against the king's camp if comest thou not together as one?

14. Harken to my voice this day, come let us reason together that we may enlarge our coast and verily, verily I say unto thee, the throne of the kingdom shall be delivered into our hands.

15. Of the camps that came together that day to form the APC were ACN from the west, ANPP from the North and a part of APGA from the East of the kingdom. Even the unhappy in the camp of PDP crossed over into the camp too.

16. And Atiku the son of Abubakar departed again from the king's camp by the name PDP and entered into the camp of the king's adversaries that he may contend the throne.

17. But Mohammed the son of Buhari was favoured among them that seeketh the throne from the camp of the APC for he swore unto the leaders of the camp saying, "Behold brethren, I am full of age and my eyes are becoming dim, suffer me to ascend unto the throne for I shall only reign for four years". And Buhari was anointed king over the kingdom.

18. And it troubled the son of Abubakar in his heart that he was rejected as king again. But he saith in his heart, I shall be of long suffering and remain in this camp for I shall ascend unto the throne after the fourth year of king Buhari.

19. But it came to pass that as the end of the fourth year of king Buhari's reign was at hand that the advisers in the king's court said unto him, be of good courage, gird thy loins and present thyself to be appointed again to reign over the kingdom for another four years.

20. And when Atiku heard of these words that he was vexed with anger and he repenteth that he joined the APC.

21. And he said, "I shall arise and go back to PDP which is the camp of my youth. And I shall declare unto them, “I have sinned against thee and against God. Accept me this day that I may once again contend the throne in thy bosom”.

22. And on the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month of the year before a new king is appointed that Atiku the son of Abubakar departed from the camp of APC and joined the camp of his youth.

23. And there was great jubilation in the camp of PDP that day for they said, “Verily, the prodigal son returneth.

24. But they forgot that Aremu, the son of Obasanjo, who still sees himself as the King maker, will not approve of it.

genternity:
If Atiku have sense let him don't do grave mistate by giving VP slot to SW because they wil not give him more than 30% votes..
VP slot should go to south East or else....

else what?Nobody will beg you to vote for atiku if you like vote for zpd because of the useless vp position we will all suffer for another 4 years under bull-hari osinbanjo can not influnce anything in buhari govt he is just as useless as letter G in assignment

PDP's greatest undoing would be giving the VP slot to SW. A region that one man can buy and they have never truly supported PDP. South East VP slot is non-negotiable. A bird at hand is far much better than 20 in the bush. Trust the SW at your own peril especially when their father, Tinubu has a different candidate.

Atiku should pick Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu another option for Atiku

papascode:


South west can't give ATIKU the required votes even if he picks from south west, that is because the south west love dividing their votes inorder not to lose either ways. But south east will give him 100% and since ATIKU is north and has influence issues of disfranchising Igbos from voting in the north for PDP will be buried. Igbos have more population than the south west. These are facts

Igbos have more population than the south west. These are facts

show us the evidence for your empty chestbeat

hisexcellency34:
You mean you sat down and composed this epistle this morning? Go and apply for N-ppwer job

The epistle of Saint Jammey to the Nigerians!