Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s bid to become Nigeria’s president might be much tougher than he envisages as governors elected on the platform of his party are the hurdles standing imposingly between him and his aspiration.

It goes without saying that since the momentum that greeted his emergence as the PDP candidate at the October 6, 2018 national convention, Atiku has not been able to rise above that feat the moment he settled for a former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, as his running mate.

Atiku was alleged to have struck a deal with some prominent South-east politicians, amongst them, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, as likely running mate if they supported him to emerge the party’s candidate.

But in the wake of his emergence, he was accused of settling for Obi without as much consulting with other critical stakeholders in the party, particularly those of the South-east and South-south extractions, thus fuelling intense mistrust amongst a majority of them, who then chose to stay away from his presidential affair, because ‘he cannot be trusted’.

Presently, Atiku does not enjoy, in the real sense of it, the support of any of the South-east governors as they are still bitter over his preference for Obi, when some of them had put in so much to his election as the PDP candidate.

This is even the more difficult for these governors, who are believed to be daily facing intense lobby from the president’s men and their colleagues in the APC, a development believed to have given rise to their recent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa.

For their personal and selfish reasons, sources claimed the PDP governors were no longer committed to the Atiku project and might be working to derail the PDP plan to seize power from the APC in next elections, through some of the impossible deals said to being dangled before them.

In the South-east, for instance, Atiku cannot boast of a genuine support from any of the governors, a position they took, neither because of him nor Obi, but because of the perceived lack of respect for them in the manner he settled for Obi.

In the South-south, there is simmering discontents amongst some of the governors too, while others are facing the same pressure of striking a deal with the APC government for Buhari’s election.

For example, the embattled Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel is said to be under intense pressure from the APC to cut a good deal with the presidency on Buhari’s election and also return without any harassment whatsoever.

Although the pressure may not be unconnected to a recent move by five lawmakers to impeach the governor, sources are of the view that the governor is beginning to consider the option given the challenges and harassment he currently faces.

In the same breath, his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, who has always been alleged of considering a deal with the federal government, gave a subtle indication last week, when he resigned as the South-south coordinator of the Atiku campaign, alleging poor coordination of campaign activities, which according to him did not factor in comprehensive consultations.

Suffices it to reiterate that Wike never wanted Atiku to emerge as the party’s candidate in the first place, a move believed to be part of his long struck deal with the APC, that he would help facilitate the emergence of a weak candidate and in turn, be left to have smooth sail in his re-election bid, his resignation from the campaign council did not surprise many as such.

Inside sources also maintained that the governors’ laidback position to the Atiku project reflected recently during his turbaning as the Waziri of Adamawa, an occasion that coincided with his 72nd birthday and yet, all the PDP governors were absent.

“If you ever needed a reason to believe that these governors were working to derail and undermine this project, then, the occasion of Atiku’s turbaning was enough. The governors were conspicuously absent and it was deliberate. Reasons some of them gave later were an afterthought. They are not on the same page with him and are clearly running their own show,” a concerned PDP source said.

This, notwithstanding, considered the governors’ dilemma is a repeat of the Olusegun Obasanjo trick that was deployed to use against the South-west governors during the 2003 elections, when he struck a deal with them to return him and in turn, be returned too.

But apart from Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, then Lagos State governor, who was believed to have been tipped off on the Obasanjo plan, other governors: Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Lam Adesina (Oyo), Bisi Akande (Osun) and Adebayo Adefarati (Ondo), were all booted out of office, in what was then described as the PDP tsunami.

Coming from this background, the PDP governors are not oblivious of the fact that this is a familiar trick of the generals and since both Obasanjo and Buhari are generals, they are not certain they would not end up like some of the South-west governors of 2003, who went into the elections without circumspection.

Therefore, while Atiku continues to exude confidence that he would defeat Buhari in 2019, observers contend that those he actually banks on may not be as dependable as he thinks especially, when it appears that their understanding of the survival dynamics for the 2019 election may not be in sync with that of the PDP presidential candidate.




https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/12/02/for-atiku-pdp-govs-are-his-weakest-links/amp/

Atiku is not marketable by any stretch of the imagination.

80% of the FRAUD’s supporters are naturally children of hate, anger and frustration born after 1999 who don’t have an idea of his fraudulent past.

If PDP was sincere with its apology to Nigeria, Moghalu or Sowore will be flying their ticket.

They want to sell Nigeria on OLX, it won’t work.

PassingShot:
Atiku is not marketable by any stretch of the imagination.

80% of the FRAUD’s supporters are naturally children of hate, anger and frustration born after 1999 who don’t have an idea of his fraudulent past.

If PDP was sincere with its apology to Nigeria, Moghalu or Sowore will be flying their ticket.

They want to sell Nigeria on OLX, it won’t work.

Hahahaha

I said it after his emergence that the euphoria would die a natural death. You can’t give what you don’t have and the scales are expectedly falling off so many people’s eyes.

Imagine what a person who can’t keep his promises as a candidate would do if he gets real power?

Atiku won’t even win Adamawa but he will manage to win some SE states.

The emerging signs doesn't bode well for Atiku. It was alleged that his much vaunted Campaign would kick off tomorrow in Sokoto. So far I haven't heard a dim nor seen a flicker of pre-campaign activity in the media. Very unusual of PDP. Or are the media houses fatigued already of his fraudulent presidential packaging. Tomorrow will tell if Atiku will continue with this charade of his or succumb to the voice of reasoning

Your thoughts, your opinion!!!

Hope all the IPOD and Iyamiri related people will note this.

At least this coming from PDP news paper Thisday

The empty noise making dumbos here who have no idea about how politics works will soon come and tag Nduka Obaigbena an afonja. If only they are as intelligent as the 40 laptop crew of GEJ circa 2011, we could have had real political discussions here

docadams:
The emerging signs doesn't bode well for Atiku. It was alleged that his much vaunted Campaign would kick off tomorrow in Sokoto. So far I haven't heard a dim nor seen a flicker of pre-campaign activity in the media. Very unusual of PDP. Or are the media houses fatigued already of his fraudulent presidential packaging. Tomorrow will tell if Atiku will continue with this charade of his or succumb to the voice of reasoning

Tambuwal seems the only serious governor on Atiku's side. The sokoto rally will happen tomorrow.

It's just that this USA Visa mess-up of the last 48 hours has really put a hole in his sail. He needs something extra ordinary to get momentum again

Atiku has a lot of weak links

1st of all, let him visit the USA to clear his name over allegations of bribery for which his is fellow conspirator in the US has already served jail term.

PDP, once again, got it all wrong for electing Atiku as their flag bearer.

A Kwonkwonso or Tambuwa would have presented a reputation battle against PMB

This fugitive has also started his lamentations even before the election.

PassingShot:
Atiku is not marketable by any stretch of the imagination.

80% of the FRAUD’s supporters are naturally children of hate, anger and frustration born after 1999 who don’t have an idea of his fraudulent past.

If PDP was sincere with its apology to Nigeria, Moghalu or Sowore will be flying their ticket.

They want to sell Nigeria on OLX, it won’t work.

True, PDP delegates at the presidential primaries were bamboozled by the weight of Atikus financial power which he ruthlessly deployed at that primaries.

Against the position of party heavy weights like Wike and Fayose, PDP delegates tot that what they needed to unseat PMB is someone with an overbearing political and financial power, so they went for an unmarketable Atiku.

But the scales has finally started falling from their eyes very fast.

shukuokukobambi:


Tambuwal seems the only serious governor on Atiku's side. The sokoto rally will happen tomorrow.

It's just that this USA Visa mess-up of the last 48 hours has really put a hole in his sail. He needs something extra ordinary to get momentum again

You all want Atiku to celebrate the Christmas at Guantanamo prison. Obasanjo for dey laugh by now.

Afamed:

You all want Atiku to celebrate the Christmas at Guantanamo prison. Obasanjo for dey laugh by now.

Obasanjo is really wicked

Atiku Abubaker don already lose the election abeg.

shukuokukobambi:


Tambuwal seems the only serious governor on Atiku's side. The sokoto rally will happen tomorrow.

It's just that this USA Visa mess-up of the last 48 hours has really put a hole in his sail. He needs something extra ordinary to get momentum again

Atiku, as rightly pointed out by OBJ, puts too much faith in the power of money. This weakness was forseen by APC, hence the restrictions on finances of political spending and other unwholesome financial practices that PDP are known for. Unfortunately people have come to believe he is a political ATM. If the ATM refuses to dispense sufficiently, no one is ready to risk his fortune. The political horizon right now is very bleak

shukuokukobambi:


Obasanjo is really wicked

I don't think so. He was very clear when he said his God won't forgive him if he supports Atiku and capped it with Nigerians should not vote for CROOKS. Because of his greed, Atiku threw caution to the wind.

The stupid idiot PDP and lazy youth pig of Biafra criminals is in trouble as usual .

Am not surprise , they are a failure and will always effect whoever they support with failure.

Fayose in Ekiti, Dancing Senator in Osun, Saraki in kwara by election.

Now Atiku come 2019.

Those who struck deal with Buhari in 2015, did he accomplished it?
Am not against APC is just a Name but am against Buhari, the old man � failed the country
Even his cows are not happy for him.

Nuel042:
Those who struck deal with Buhari in 2015, did he accomplished it?
Am not against APC is just a Name but am against Buhari, the old man � failed the country
Even his cows are not happy for him.

Don't overheat your system. You either stick with a sinking ship or join those on dry land.

docadams:


Atiku, as rightly pointed out by OBJ, puts too much faith in the power of money. This weakness was forseen by APC, hence the restrictions on finances of political spending and other unwholesome financial practices that PDP are known for. Unfortunately people have come to believe he is a political ATM. If the ATM refuses to dispense sufficiently, no one is ready to risk his fortune. The political horizon right now is very bleak

That faith on money power is truly his greatest weakness. After spending a fortune on getting the ticket, Atiku deemed it a well earned prerogative to choose anybody he liked as his running mate! It was this lack of tact that the SE governors found very disrespectful.

Volksfuhrer:


That faith on money power is truly his greatest weakness. After spending a fortune on getting the ticket, Atiku deemed it a well earned prerogative to choose anybody he liked as his running mate! It was this lack of tact that the SE governors found very disrespectful.

That is the spirit of entitlement which is proving to be his Achilles.

Some of my fellow south easterns would hate me and hate this news... But this is the plain truth, trying to associate with failure comes with so many risks at hand... You only weigh the options before making a decision....


You just don't put all your eggs in one basket...
This type of selfish reasoning, cost them in 2015 the position of the senate president... Now they're at it again.

RockHard:
Atiku Abubaker don already lose the election abeg.

Only Nairaland PDP paid miscreants would disagree.

I still maintain that atiku will struggle to win ss/se and his failure have started there already.majority of pdp governor's are either neutral or pro buhari which is a major blow.atiku will be bankrupt before January and saraki will be his only creditor.in the end,only atiku and saraki will bear the brunt of the failed campaign.

But do SE govs influence the voting pattern of their domain? nope....
No sensible SE person will vote APC or buhari
..
So all these SE leaders cutting deals changes nothing.....

Ruddyman:
But do SE govs influence the voting pattern of their domain? nope....

No sensible SE person will vote APC or buhari

..

So all these SE leaders cutting deals changes nothing.....

so 96000 peoples that voted for apc in anambra gubernatorial elections re Senseless
governors play huge role in checkmating activities of opposition.you think election ends at polling units after electorate votes have been counted.
the final result is done at coalition centres where the manipulations happens the only person that can stop it is the governor cos voters dont have access to collation centres.
if the governor is an ally of the opposition he can give approval for manipulations of results in favour of opposition candidate. the gov is the chief security officer of a state he can secretly tell security operatives of his state to work in favour of opposition.
many pdp governors in north worked against jonathan thats why he lost heavily

Fiaburnthem:
Some of my fellow south easterns would hate me and hate this news... But this is the plain truth, trying to associate with failure comes with so many risks at hand... You only weigh the options before making a decision....


You just don't put all your eggs in one basket...
This type of selfish reasoning, cost them in 2015 the position of the senate president... Now they're at it again.

Na true talk be this only if they will hear

Things are crumbling for Atiku before the start ...

Next Level please

Atiku don enter one chance.... swindled by his own party(PDP). 2019 is a walkover for PMB... Sai Buhari