. Blames Atiku for laying foundation for PDP’s woes 

Chuks Okocha in Abuja 

Against the run of defections rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a group within the party under the aegis of the PDP 100 Percent, has appealed to former vice president Atiku Abubakar and other northern politicians to support the emergence of a southern presidential candidate.

The PDP group blamed the former vice president for laying the foundation of the current PDP woes as he was the master mind of those that sabotaged former President Goodluck Jonathan when he led five governors to defect to the APC in 2014.

In a statement , the National Coordinator of the group, Dennis Shima said:  ‘’At  this critical turning point  in our democratic history, it is imperative to call on all and sundry within PDP to support a southern presidential candidate to complete eight years in the presidency after eight years of former President Buhari from 2015 to 2023.”

The group further said: ‘’Southern Nigeria has, credible and young presidential materials  that can match the incumbent President Bola Tinubu than recycling the old brigade who continue to dominate the political scene.”

‘’It is worthy of note that, most of the people who are agitating for a Northern presidential candidate of PDP are protagonists of  Atiku Abubakar  who unfortunately forgot to mention how magnanimous PDP has been to him,  after he and others in the North orchestrated defeat of PDP in 2015.”

‘’PDP would have been, 27 years in the presidency of the Nigeria’s Fourth Republic if not for activities of New-PDP, a fractional PDP mainstream group, which joined forces against PDP presidential candidate in 2015.”

‘’The same scenario repeated itself in 2023 with a group of five governors led by former Governor Nyesom Wike who is now FCT Minister under APC led Federal Government.’’ Denis Shima stressed.

According to the national coordinator of the PDP group, ‘’Recall that, Atiku would have remained in APC led federal government under President Buhari if President Buhari had fulfilled his promised to carry him alongside in his Change Mantra minded federal government. But unfortunately, President Buhari didn’t carry Atiku along hence he returned to PDP in December 2017.’’

The group advocated young and vibrant politicians in the south like  Governor Seyi Makinde to be supported  for the PDP presidential ticket in 2027.

The national coordinator of the PDP group urged party members not to mind the role played by Makinde in the  G5 headed by former Governor of Rivers State and the current FCT Minister as well as the role the Oyo State governor  played in the defunct G5, explaining that it was based on equity, fairness and justice. 

Trying to justify Makinde membership of G5,  he said: ‘’Because, it was odd to field a presidential candidate from the North immediately after eight  years of a Northerner in the office of the president of Nigeria in person of General Buhari in 2023.”

 Going down historical lines, the PDP group said that ‘’In 2014/2015 members of PDP under auspices of New-PDP led by Atiku orchestrated the defeat of PDP incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan  and paved way for APC led Federal Government. This is undeniably, the reason why, Nigeria is where we are today, in terms of insecurity and economic woes. 

‘’In 2017, PDP leaders in a Constitutional Review Committee headed by Senator Gabriel Torwua Suswam  deliberately amended the PDP Constitution to allow for returnees like Atiku Abubakar and others to have equal rights as members of PDP who never defected at all since inception of PDP. 

‘’We all, clapped and affirmed at eagle square on 10th December, 2017. Before then, PDP had a constitutional probation period of two years of active membership before one could be allowed to contest for offices within PDP and public offices under PDP as a vehicle to elective public offices. 

‘’Recall that, Atiku returned to PDP officially in December 2017 and on 5th December, 2017 at the NEC Hall of PDP National Secretariat where he addressed a World Press Conference to justify, why he left APC led Federal Government under then President Buhari few years after he orchestrated their coming to power.  Atiku  clearly returned to PDP because all his hope was lost in the President Buhari led Federal Government unlike former Governor of Rivers State Mr. Wike who is FCT Minister as a former leader of defunct G5 or Integrity Group of 2023.

‘’In 2018, Atiku Abubakar  was considered by most of PDP national leaders as the most suitable candidate to unseat President Buhari, considering the fact that, he is from the North where President Buhari hails from. PDP Southerners, allowed and didn’t contest against the aspirants from the North.

‘’This is why, it is imperative to consider the most suitable candidate from the South like Engr Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde to fly PDP presidential flag in 2027 against his fellow Kinsman President Tinubu who has failed Yoruba Nation in the aspect of good governance of Nigeria’s federation. Because, insecurity of everything ranging from lives and property, value of naira to dollar, political instability among other unconstitutional practices like suspension of elected Executive and Legislative Arms of Government in Rivers State. 

‘’Southerners  in PDP had qualified aspirants for, 2019 Presidential ticket but allowed the North because it was a strategy to defeat President Buhari with his kinsman or fellow northerner. Therefore, it is fair, just and equity enough for Northerners in PDP who are qualified like Atiku to jettison 2027 Presidential aspirations like Southerners did for the North in 2019.

‘’In 2022, PDP presidential ticket was made open because the North couldn’t defeat their own in 2019 but luckily for the North, Atiku Abubakar got the Presidential ticket. Unlike the 2019 scenario, when PDP presidential candidate was from the North while PDP National Chairman was from the South in Person of  Prince Uche Secondus, the North insisted to have both presidential candidate and PDP national chairman at the expense of 2023 presidency unfortunately.” 

’Therefore, PDP stakeholders across board, in the interest of democracy should, support a dependable PDP National Chairman from the North in order to avoid a repeat of 2023  scenario when the North cling to 2023 presidential candidacy, PDP National Chairman and Director General of 2023 presidential campaign council. 

‘’Now in 2025, some Northern stakeholders of PDP are hell bent on retaining the position of PDP National chairman and 2027 presidential candidacy. Is this not a clear call for the unfortunate 2023 scenario to repeat itself? We are, a living witness to these unfolding realities that needs to be tamed democratically as soon as possible in the forthcoming 2025 PDP NEC slated for May, 2.

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