° 2nd term governors fighting for party’s structure

° Wike allegedly still rooting for Tambuwal

Chuks Okocha in Abuja



With Wednesday’s Supreme Court judgment, which drew the curtains on the 2019 presidential election petition, stakeholders in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had since returned to the drawing board to review the future of the party ahead of the 2023 and might be considering repeating the joint Northeast/Southeast presidential ticket model of the 2019 general election.

The development, which had also necessitated a series of meetings, one of which birthed the idea of relaxing the party’s zoning law for both the Northeast and Southeast, came as a result of the new graph-plotting by the PDP leadership in the light of the current political standpoint.

THISDAY gathered last night that some stakeholders within the party had started to advocate a fluid zoning arrangement between the northeast and southeast, the two zones that have not produced the President of the country, either as an elected civilian or military head of state.

The idea, it was further gathered, was mooted to give a sense of belonging to both zones as there is the likelihood that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might zone its presidential ticket to either the Southwest or Northeast or allow it to remain fluid as a free for all challenge.

According to a top PDP source, “An official position on this has not been taken but it will not be far from what I have said. There is the likelihood of a fluid presidential zoning to be between the Southeast and the Northeast. This is a delicate option that would be used to assuage tension between the two zones
“We are conscious that President Muhammadu Buhari will not be contesting in 2023 and his absence will leave a big vacuum in APC, so we’ll do everything that will keep our members and stakeholders in check against defection to seek their aspirations in another party”, the PDP source stated.

According to him, “Even before the Supreme Court decision that dismissed our petitions, we knew it would happen. Most of them had sheathed their presidential ambition, waiting for the verdict to come as it did.

“Before, the party was divided into two noticeable camps. It is just a matter of where you belong. Within the PDP, the party is already divided into two camps: the second term governors’ camp and the Rivers State Governor, Nyeson Wike’s camp. The two camps are fighting deadly and bitter over the control of the party’s machinery.

“It is a fact that Wike almost single-handedly installed the present national chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus. This is evident to any keen observer, where the leadership of the party belongs, ” he added.

As a result, the source explained that there was fierce battle over the control of the party’s structure between Nyeson Wike and other governors, otherwise known as the second term governors of the party in Sokoto, Benue, Taraba, Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Delta and Rivers States.

Although all of them belong to the second term group, they are up in arms against their colleague from Rivers State, Wike, ostensibly because of the 2023 elections.

The source said Wike was still plotting to bring back the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal to contest the 2023 presidential elections. Wike was one of the main supporters of the presidential aspiration of Tambuwal.

The Sokoto governor, who lost to Atiku at the PDP Port Harcourt convention, lost basically because some believed he was inexperienced and was therefore asked to contest and complete his second term as governor.

But with second term election as governor of Sokoto State, the ball is now in his court to declare for a presidential run. And it is being seen that Wike, who supported him the last time, might likely support him again. That is the essence of the perceived plot by Wike to control the party machinery.

The source explained that with the way the PDP minority leadership of the House of Representatives emerged, it showed that Wike would not have his way easily without a fight, the reason his preferred candidate for the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, was defeated by Ndudi Elumelu, with the support of other second term governors of the party.

Within, the first term governors of PDP, there is the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, who is said to be interested in the 2023 presidential election on the understanding that ‘if Atiku is not contesting’.

He was sure of inheriting the political structures of the Turaki, if he would not contest. Then, there is the question of the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso.

Within the PDP cycles, he was still said to be interested in contesting the 2023 presidential election and was allegedly being prevailed upon by a former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion and some other former governors of the party.

Within the PDP, there is the understanding that the APC won the presidential election because of the personality of President Buhari and his Almajiri supporters. But come 2023, Buhari would not be contesting again having served out his constitutional two terms.

They believed that without the personality of Buhari, anyone put forward by the APC or any other party would be defeated by the PDP. So, in the permutations of the PDP, attention would be on anyone that has money to finance his campaign as Atiku did in 2019.

It is said that Atiku has the capacity to fund his campaign. This is what the PDP will be looking out for in 2023 and why Atiku still stands a good chance considering his performance against incumbent Buhari in the 2019 election despite the lacklustre support from the PDP governors who for whatever reasons, particularly the Southeast governors, instead of supporting him were busy cutting deals with Buhari. But some reckoned that age would be a major determinant between Atiku and other aspirants. The former vice will be about 77 years at the time.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/11/03/2023-pdp-considers-repeating-joint-neast-seast-presidential-ticket/

Ok

Whatever. But I'm pretty sure that pdp will never taste power again. Tambuwal who perform woefully in his small state in sokoto that Nigerians we vote for.
I pray apc present good person in 2023.

If PDP can get their act together, 2023 might just be the year they finally take back power. The only edge APC has over PDP is PMB and come 2023, PMB won't be on the ballot. A study of the voting trends in the recently held 2019 elections will reveal that PDP comfortably has two regions(SE/SS) in its control and in spite of Tinubu's famed political sagacity, PDP retains a foothold in the South West. With Buhari not contesting in 2023, d Northern votes will be up for the taking and it's now left for PDP to grab the initiative and firstly play the role of a virulent opposition party pre 2023, organising a transparent selection process that will present a credible candidate who is acceptable to majority of the members of the party and d Nigerian voters and also running an issue based campaign. In all, 2023 is open for PDP, APC and any third force that may emerge between now and then

Hausa Fulani again
Anyway....
Let me continue my own services

1. PDP is broke, they will still give the Ticket to Godfather or Candidate who pays the most. Not necessarily the best they have.

2. APC have the spread, resources, supporters, power, options of candidates and what it takes to retain power beyond 2023.

3. Politicians out of power are like fish out of water, the question is how long can they endure before decamping to greener pastures.

4. Those of us who reelected Buhari will never vote for PDP to return, loot and dismantle everything Mr. President is putting in place.

Summary, PDP will be wasting any money spent on 2023 Presidential election.

I believe APC would prefer to face Atiku again or Tambual rather than Kwakwanso.

In any case, PDP are likely to present a Northern/Eastern ticket

While APC a Northern/Western ticket being their strongest voting block

Iamgrey5:
I believe APC would prefer to face Atiku again or Tambual rather than Kwakwanso.

In any case, PDP are likely to present an Northern/Eastern ticket

While APC a Northern/Western ticket being their strongest voting block

I don't know about PDP, but for APC, power is returning to the south. The front runners are SE and SW.

So in essence... 2023 is going up north?...

netpro:


I don't know about PDP, but for APC, power is returning to the south. The front runners are SE and SW.

To be realistic, APC would not likely zone any office to the South East

APC get the lowest support in Nigeria from the south east

They also get the highest support in the South from the South West.

Zoning any office to the South East zone is like Signaling the End of APC because it would mean less vote from the South west and lesser vote from the East who will likely vote PDP.

And if by chance PDP fields a Northerner, that is going to be likely the End of APC as we know it.

Now they accepted PMB is undefeatable force.

Anyway, the permutation is set for the money bag only....


handcross.

[s]

Iamgrey5:
To be realistic APC would not likely zone any office to the South East

APC get the lowest support in Nigeria from the south east

They also get the highest support in the South from the South West.

Zoning any office to the South East zone is like Signaling the End of APC because it would mean less vote from the South west and lesser vote from the East who will likely vote PDP.

And if by chance PDP fields a Northerner, that is going to be likely the End of APC as we know it.

[/s]

You don't know anything about politics....Any Party that fields any candidate from the North again has already defeated itself before the first ballot...


What the Useless Thisday Newspaper is doing here is pure propaganda for Atiku....They still want eat from him till his political grave.

Iamgrey5:
To be realistic APC would not likely zone any office to the South East

APC get the lowest support in Nigeria from the south east

They also get the highest support in the South from the South West.

Zoning any office to the South East zone is like Signaling the End of APC because it would mean less vote from the South west and lesser vote from the East who will likely vote PDP.

And if by chance PDP fields a Northerner, that is going to be likely the End of APC as we know it.

While is not an easy political undertaking for the APC, one can also argue if they carry other regions in the decision making process, APC having an Igbo candidate destroys a major aspect of PDP campaign. Especially if PDP head north.

And it will be even more fun if APC win 2023 with Igbo candidate without dominating SE.

NgeneUkwenu:
[s][/s]

You don't know anything about politics....Any Party that fields any candidate from the North again has already defeated itself before the first ballot...


What the Useless Thisday Newspaper is doing here is pure propaganda for Atiku....They still want eat from him till his political grave.

Exactly. Right on point.

netpro:


While is not an easy political undertaking for the APC, one can also argue if they carry other regions in the decision making process, APC having an Igbo candidate destroy a major PDP campaign. Especially if PDP head north.

And it will be even more fun if APC win 2023 with Igbo candidate without dominating SE.

You really think Okorocha or Orji Uzor can get 30% of South East vote against an Obi vice presidential / presidential or Madu presidential /vice presidential ticket

NgeneUkwenu:
[s][/s]

You don't know anything about politics....Any Party that fields any candidate from the North again has already defeated itself before the first ballot...


What the Useless Thisday Newspaper is doing here is pure propaganda for Atiku....They still want eat from him till his political grave.

Really! when the North still has more than 60% of the voting strength.

You are arguing based on emotions not logic.

APC will surely not gamble their future by fielding a SWesterner against PDP's Northern candidate so they will be forced to go back to North and again power goes back to the Northerners.

So who is the real looser now? SE or the entire South?

handie:
If PDP can get their act together, 2023 might just be the year they finally take back power. The only edge APC has over PDP is PMB and come 2023, PMB won't be on the ballot. A study of the voting trends in the recently held 3019 elections will reveal that PDP comfortably has two regions(SE/SS) in its control and in spite of Tinubu's famed political sagacity, PDP retains a foothold in the South West. With Buhari not contesting in 2023, d Northern votes will be up for the taking and it's now left for PDP to grab the initiative and firstly play the role of a virulent opposition party pre 2023, organising a transparent selection process that will present a credible candidate who is acceptable to majority of the members of the party and d Nigerian voters and also running an issue based campaign. In all, 2023 is open for PDP, APC and any third force that may emerge between now and then

A study of the voting trends in the recently held 3019 elections will reveal that PDP comfortably has two regions(SE/SS) in its control and in spite of Tinubu's famed political sagacity,


you can see the future in 3019

Introvertedmarc:
So in essence... 2023 is going up north?...

Should PDP head north east and APC head south east, Ndigbo will definitely desert PDP.

An alliance of SW, SE, SS, MB and Buhari Supporters up north will not only defeat PDP but will get the party dismantled after the election.

J111333:
APC will surely not gamble their future by fielding a SWesterner against PDP's Northern candidate so they will be forced to go back to North and again power goes back to the Northerners.

So who is the real looser now? SE or the entire South?

the real losers are Nigerians

Iamgrey5:
Really! when the North still has more than 60% of the voting strength.

You arguing based on emotions not logic.

We are only asking APC to find western candidate .

Pdp retain their Nothern pattern/east pattern....case closed.

West have served APC well and so..as you know.


I think is good this way.

Iamgrey5:
Really! when the North still has more than 60% of the voting strength.

You arguing based on emotions not logic.

APC have no worries about northern votes come 2023. Any southern APC candidate will get his fare share of votes in the North.

All that is required is for President Buhari to raise the candidate's hand and ask for a last political wish.

No other politician in the North has such pedigree.

babyfaceafrica:
the real losers are Nigerians

I don't pity Nigerians. Sane minds voting for Buhari as their President in this millennium is ridiculous.
Nigerians deserve what they got. Atiku wasn't a good choice either but there were credible candidates in the last election but graduates and undergraduates in this forum were shouting Sai Baba up and down.

MelesZenawi:


We are only asking APC to find western candidate .

Pdp retain their Nothern pattern/east pattern....case closed.

West have served APC well and so..as you know.


I think is good this way.

You have served PDP for more than 20years without even producing a vice president, I don't mean a vp candidate

Don't you think you should take your own advice ?

netpro:


APC have no worries about northern votes come 2023. Any southern APC candidate will get his fare share of votes in the North.

All that is required is for President Buhari to raise the candidate's hand and ask for a last political wish.

No other politician in the North has such pedigree.

North only has a Northern party not APC or PDP.

Iamgrey5:
You really think Okorocha or Orji Uzor can get 30% of South East vote against an Obi vice presidential / presidential or Madu presidential /vice presidential ticket

Yes. Anything less than Igbo PDP Presidential candidate, Ndigbo will revolt against PDP.

The sweetest part is that APC can win with Igbo candidate without getting majority in SE.

Iamgrey5:
North only has a Northern party not APC or PDP.

In the north, there are more Buhari Supporters than APC and PDP supporters combined.

Iamgrey5:
You have served PDP for more than 20years without even producing a vice president, I don't mean a vp candidate

Don't you think you should take your own advice ?

I'm only been fair here not sentiments.

That pattern I wrote remains the best.

You check it out.

The deal is okay and fine that way.

Iamgrey5:
I believe APC would prefer to face Atiku again or Tambual rather than Kwakwanso.

Are we talking about the same Kwakwaso that couldn't win his senatorial District election?

MelesZenawi:

I'm only been fair here not sentiments.
That pattern I wrote remains the best.
You check it out.
The deal is okay and fine that way.

Don't you think you should be fair to yourself