Month: December 2022

Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has denied reports that he held a secret meeting with five estranged governors of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP in London.

Tinubu in a statement by his Media Office signed by Tunde Rahman said it has become a routine for him to spend sometime in London to rest before going to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.

“As usual with him when a year is coming to an end to take time off his busy schedules, take a little rest and proceed to Saudi Arabia to observe Umrah(Lesser Hajj), HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in London during the week en route Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

“While in the United Kingdom, Asiwaju Tinubu noted some articles in some national newspapers in Nigeria, alleging a secret meeting was held in London between him and the G-5 governors who are members of Peoples Democratic Party.

“These reports, to say the least, are not only in bad faith but also evil intentioned. They were published to advance the political interests of the writers and their sponsors”, the statement noted.

Tinubu sadi he is neither bothered by these articles nor by their sponsors who are well known, adding that he is resolutely focused on his campaign objectives which are geared towards achieving victory in the upcoming presidential election in order to deliver APC’s Action Plan aimed at giving a Renewed Hope to all Nigerians.

The statement adds; “We must point out that the APC candidate is entitled to meeting any political actor or stakeholder that is important to his campaign and plans for the country and that desires to engage with him.

“The truth with respect to his present itinerary is as follows:

“HE Asíwájú Tinubu came to London on Boxing Day Monday December 26, 2022 to spend a few days preparatory to his trip to Saudi Arabia.

“After spending some time in London, he has now proceeded to Mecca where he is at present observing Umrah.

“He is scheduled to return to the country within the next two days to continue with the campaign.

“We would like to use this opportunity to advise those writing unsubstantiated articles and peddling rumours on him to desist forthwith”.

Vanguard News

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, apparently holds the aces in the deal being worked out with the Governor Nyesom Wike-led G-5 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Vanguard gathered, on Friday, that the APC candidate, whose election comes first, has agreed to the deal in principle.

Acting on the confidence of the party’s structure and geo-political spread, the APC candidate, it was gathered, will be insulated from making any financial commitment to the G-5 or the party’s candidates, whose positions are being sacrificed.

A reliable source said: “Having considered the odds, G-5, I can tell you, have cast their lot with Asiwaju.

“Agreement is signed, sealed and waiting for delivery.

“As part of the deal, Asiwaju is to deflate his party’s campaign in the respective states to accommodate the interests of the G-5. We all know that Asiwaju is APC, and APC is Asiwaju.

“The APC is to concede positions of G-5 interests as follows: Rivers, governorship seat; Abia, Abia South Senate; Enugu, Governor Ugwuanyi’s Senate seat; Benue, Governor Ortom’s Senate seat; Oyo, governorship seat for Makinde.”

Perculiar Oyo case
The source noted that to the uninitiated, the case of Oyo State is complex and appears untenable, but that the situation on ground points to its simplicity.

According to the source, “The APC candidate is expected to simply withhold financial and moral support for the governorship candidate in order to reduce the intensity of campaign against Makinde.

“This is further simplified by the fact that as at today, there are effectively three factions in the state.

“This is further simplified by the fact that as at today, there are effectively three factions in the state.

“Teslim Folarin controls one, remnants of the Accord Party which collapsed into the APC are on their own and the legacy parties (Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressives Change and the All Nigeria Peoples Party) that came together to form APC consider Folarin a usurper and are determined to fight him.”

The source further said, “It is not for nothing that aside from Tinubu’s open instruction to Folarin to reconcile aggrieved members sometime in June, neither the party nor the presidential candidate have made any serious effort to reconcile them.”

Asked whether the issue of the state campaign being starved of funds will not be counterproductive, the source said, “Of course, there will be complimentary funds from the national body.

“But tell you what, it will be channeled through Makinde’s allies within APC ranks, who will know when and how to deploy.

“In politics, as in war, timing is a key component of strategy.”

Punch Newspaper

More facts have emerged on why the five aggrieved governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have yet to agree on the presidential candidate they will support having fallen out with the candidate of their party, Atiku Abubakar.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the governors, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who is the leader of the team; Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, could not agree on a particular candidate during their visit to the United Kingdom during the week.

There have been indications that the G-5 and its expanded Integrity Group, comprising some former governors and party bigwigs, might support one of Atiku; the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and that of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.

However, with about 55 days to the presidential election, which is scheduled for February 25, many Nigerians have anticipated that the London meeting by the G-5 governors would eventually produce their preferred candidate. But indications emerged that they were unable to take a unanimous position on who to support in the election.

Sources close to the meeting told one of our correspondents that due to their respective ambitions and interests, the aggrieved governors had yet to agree on who to support.

While Makinde is seeking re-election as governor on the PDP platform, Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu, who will finish their second term on May 29, 2023, are all contesting senatorial seats in their respective districts. Even though Wike, the most outspoken among them, is not contesting any position in the forthcoming elections, the PDP governorship candidate is his preferred choice and the governor has been campaigning for him.

Sources close to the group said after their reported meeting with Tinubu in London, the governors decided not to openly campaign for the presidential candidate of the party or any other candidate so as not to jeopardise their chances in the election.

One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, said the governors were sharply divided over the candidates.

The source said, “Many people know that former President Olusegun Obasanjo sold the candidacy of Peter Obi to them. He wants the governors to back the former Anambra State governor. Some initially embraced the former President’s suggestion out of respect for him.

“However, it was clear that Obi might not win the election, so the reality of this dawned on the governors and they discussed it, but they did not take a position.

“You also know that the presidential candidate of the APC sent emissaries to the governors before he personally met them. He had negotiated with them, especially Wike. But the other governors are afraid that such a negotiation could work against them in their states.

“The APC and its presidential candidate are not very popular in the South-East. In fact, the people of the zone are angry with some comments said to have been made by the vice-presidential candidate of the APC (Kashim Shettima) sometime ago. This was why the people walked out on him in Imo State when members of the party went there for consultation.”

It was learnt that knowing the zone was mainly controlled by the PDP, governors from the region might find it difficult to campaign for the APC without working against themselves.

Another source told one of our correspondents, “The South-East generally is for the PDP, though the Labour Party through Obi is making inroads into the place. Given the fear of the people and their personal ambitions, they are likely going to back Atiku and the PDP.

“Also, there is no governor who will not want to have a successor. They will not want to confuse their supporters with conflicting directives and therefore commit political suicide.”

The source added that the positions of Ortom and Makinde were almost similar.

Wike because of their friendship and what he had benefited from him. He also said he would never work for any other candidate or political party apart from the PDP and Atiku.”

Wike denies endorsement
Meanwhile, Wike has denied reports that the G-5 governors have endorsed any presidential candidate. He spoke at the Eneka Road roundabout during the inauguration of the Eneka-Igbo Etche Road project, shortly after arriving from the UK on Friday.

He also denied having any interview with the BBC as alleged by some reports, noting that the PDP presidential campaign council claimed to have moved on but was always querying the moves made by the group.

He stated, “I travelled overseas on the 26th (of December) having worked so hard. Some people say we have moved on, yet you tell Nigerians you are not bothered by the G-5. They said I had a conversation with the BBC, where is the picture or the video?

“The truth is you don’t need to speculate; when I want to do something, I do it. There is no trouble, what we have is an introduction to trouble.

“Leave me alone, leave Seyi Makinde alone, leave Ikpeazu alone, leave Ifeanyi alone. My dear people, I just want to tell you that whatever decision I will take I will let you know, and I cannot take any decision without taking any advice from you.

“I am not the one who will go and see somebody and I will hide, hide from who? Who is that person that will threaten me? You say you will sack me, go ahead. I am not worried; you that is sacking you are worried; me that will be sacked am I worried? Try it and see how you will survive it.”

He said he stood by his word when he said he would remain a party man and support whoever emerged from the presidential primary, but that Atiku should also fulfil his promise that he would make sure the same zone did not produce the candidate and the national chairman of the party.

Obasanjo, Atiku tenure
The governor also alleged that Atiku, as the vice-president, made Obasanjo kneel before him so that he could have a second term in the run-up to the 2003 election.

Wike stated, “You forget history. In 2002 and 2003, when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for a second term, a whole President knelt down before his deputy and said, ‘My vice, please allow me to run. You know one of the conditions he (Atiku) gave him? That Tony Anenih must be sacked as minister of works and that he must not be in the presidential campaign council. Obasanjo obliged.

“This one, we are not even giving such conditions; we are saying give us the national chairman and you say, ‘No, we will not listen to you people, don’t give us conditions’. This is something touching on the foundation of the unity of the country.”

He also promised to remain in the party, adding, “I have never left the PDP since 1998; I will never. Even when they came to destroy the PDP, I remained to serve the PDP. So how can this kind of character come and tell me that I should not destroy the PDP; the PDP he destroyed?”

Wike attacks Secondus
Meanwhile, Wike has attacked the former National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus. He said Secondus was not his benefactor, rather he is Secondus’ benefactor.

Reacting to Saturday PUNCH’s report where Secondus said no one could impose a presidential candidate on the people of the state, Wike said he never said he would impose a candidate on the people. “All I said was that I would tell Rivers people who I want to support. It is then left for Rivers people to decide whether they will follow me or not.”

He added, “He then came up provoked and said I am fighting my benefactors and that I will soon leave office. Please Secondus, you couldn’t have been my benefactor, or those following you couldn’t have been my benefactors. First of all, I won as council chairman in 1998/1999, you did not support me. Second tenure, you wanted to upturn my ticket, you couldn’t.”

“So, you can’t be my benefactor; you are not the one who made me governor; for you to make me governor, you must be the one that sponsored the election, is it not? So, you are deceiving Nigerians, Rather, I should be your benefactor,” Wike added.

The governor said he supported Secondus to become the national chairman despite the odds against him, noting that when he tried to impose his nephew or cousin, they had to “kick him out.”

Okowa replies G-5
The governor of Delta State and Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Friday said God would determine Nigeria’s next President and not the action of the G-5 governors.

Okowa spoke in Aboh when he led the Delta PDP campaign train to the Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West local government areas of the state. He expressed confidence that the five governors would put the past behind them and work for the victory of the PDP in the 2023 elections.

Okowa said, “God has said it that we, the PDP, will win this election. Many things may be happening now and people may be asking what about the G-5 governors. These governors are our brothers; everybody is important. But what God has said will happen, nobody can change it.

“Even if some of them decide to support the APC, some will still remain with us because there will be division among them. The real truth is that I have strong political eyes and I have observed that no matter what they do, the PDP will win the forthcoming election by the grace of God.

“It is only the power of God that can help us to win. No matter what the G-5 say, we will win.”

Speaking on the two other leading candidates, Okowa said, “We all know that the candidate of the APC is not good enough to be our president. Also we know that the Labour Party is not going anywhere and we need to sweet-talk the party supporters not to waste their votes.

“Those wishing to vote for the Labour Party are only indirectly helping the APC and trying to reduce the votes of the PDP. So, please go and plead with the Labour Party supporters to return to the PDP and join hands with us to change Nigeria for better.”

Atiku’s PH rally
The PDP Campaign Management Committee in Rivers State has slated January 16 for its presidential campaign in the state. The party applied to use the Port Harcourt Polo Club for rallying support for Atiku.

In a letter dated December 10 to the President of the Polo Club, Chukwudi Dimkpa, the Director, State Campaign Management Committee, Dr Abiye Sekibo, said the party planned to use the facility for its mega rally.

Sekibo also promised that the party would adhere to “all the necessary requirements by the club.”

“We hope that our application will be accorded the needed urgent attention and approval to enable us to finalise with our preparations towards holding a peaceful, smooth and successful presidential campaign rally in Rivers State,” he added.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is patiently waiting for the G-5 governors to choose their preferred candidate in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election before it takes drastic action against them.

The above statement was made by the Director General of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organization, Aminu Tambuwal.

The Sokoto state governor equally noted that PDP is a law abiding party that would explore lawful avenues to bring any of its erring members to book.

The Rivers state governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike yesterday challenged those threatening to expel him from the party to go ahead and try it if they can.

He insisted that he is unperturbed about the threat of expulsion, however, wondered why those desiring to expel him are displaying anxiety instead of acting out their threat, and see if they will survive it.

But speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello, Tambuwal on Friday opined:

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will respond to the antics of five of its Governors currently being speculated to be in political dalliance with the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“For hours before his remarks there has been reports that the G-5 PDP Governors led by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state have been meeting with Tinubu in London on the possibility of their teaming up to work for his victory in the forthcoming presidential elections.

“According to Governor Tambuwal, who is also the Director General of the Atiku/Okowa presidential campaign organization, the PDP is a law abiding party; and it would explore lawful avenues to bring any of its erring members to book.

“It is not a war of attrition. I always submit that in this our business, whatever it is that you are doing, even if you try to hide it, it will come out. You cannot plan and execute a political project in your own bedroom. You must come out with it.

“So, when my colleagues resolve on what to do, I think it is then that the party will now respond on whatever position they have taken.”

The Federal Govrrnment on Friday cleared the air on widely reported plan to increase the salaries of its workers adding that, the government’s plan is to review some peculiar allowances of both the civil and public servants and not salaries.

This was contained in a statement by Olajide Oshundun Head/Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations Unit of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

The statement quoted the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senato Chris Ngige of saying that there will be no salary adjustment without the input of the leadership of the organised labour in accordance with the Collective Bargain Agreement, CBA.

The statement read: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige OON, has been drawn to the news item that the Federal Government is reviewing salaries of public and Civil servants which was a fall out of his interaction with State House Correspondents after his recent audience with Mr President.

“The Honourable Minister wishes to clarify that the increase he talked about was on the REMUNERATIONS and EMOLUMENTS of the affected workers especially the civil servants.

“The Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) received recommendations for review of allowances of many Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government. Because salary component is not being reviewed for now by the committee, it addressed the allowances component of the requests including the peculiar allowance for Federal Civil Servants amongst others.

“In Labour parlance as par payment for compensation for work done, REMUNERATION or EMOLUMENT is made up of salary component and earned allowance component.

“Therefore, the Federal Government through the PCS could not have engaged on the review of salaries without involving the workers through their Unions, represented by this two Labour Federation of workers in Nigeria – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), salary review or renegotiation is part of social dialogue and the product is usually a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) usually agreed to by both parties – employers and employees.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Minister made it clear to the press corp that it is still work in progress and that the end-product of this review of allowances will be submitted to Mr President for consideration and final approval and that this was one of the Labour issues he briefed him on, that day. It’s hoped that this rightful step which the Federal Government had embarked upon on compassionate grounds without any prodding or threat to strike will help to cushion the debilitating effects of spiraling inflation especially that which affects food and energy prices (Electricity and Petroleum product)”

The Minister reassured that the committee is optimistic that Mr President will receive and consider the recommendations before the end of the first quarter in 2023.

Punch Newspaper

The five aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors have demanded the support of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the PDP governorship and senatorial candidates in their respective states, The PUNCH has learnt.

It was gathered on Thursday that this was part of the conditions presented to Tinubu during his meeting with the PDP governors in London, United Kingdom, on Tuesday.

In attendance at the meeting were Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu states.

The governors alongside Donald Duke, Jonah Jang, Olusegun Mimiko, former governors of Cross River, Ondo and Plateau states, respectively, as well as a Board of Trustees member, Chief Bode George, are defiant in their call for the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the party.

A reliable source disclosed that the five governors were concerned about their political careers and sought assurances from Tinubu.

Though Wike is not contesting for any position in the 2023 elections, he was said to be concerned about his protégé, Siminalayi Fubara, who is the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate and the PDP senatorial candidates in the state.

On the other hand, Makinde is running for a second term while Ortom will be contesting as the Benue North-West Senatorial District candidate in the polls.

Also, Ikpeazu is the PDP candidate for Abia South Senatorial District and Ugwuanyi is running for the Enugu North Senatorial District.

However, there are different accounts of the final decisions of both the governors and Tinubu on the demand.

A source close to Tinubu told The PUNCH that a final agreement could not be reached as a result of the ‘complex demands’ by the governors.

According to him, the PDP governors made an overture to Tinubu to guarantee both the senatorial and governorship seats in their states, a demand the former Lagos State governor could not grant immediately as he needed to consult with his advisers and loyalists.

The APC chieftain confided in our correspondent that Tinubu may not be willing to concede to the demand with less than two months to the 2023 elections.

He said, “The G-5 governors do not hold the four aces. As it stands, they are actually seeking shelter. The major hitch we have is that all the members of the G-5 demanded for the governorship and senatorial seats in exchange for the big prize.

“Now, the question is, how are going to throw our people in Rivers, Plateau and Benue under the bus? I am worried about Benue, where we have low-hanging fruits. Of course, it is obvious we are set to win Benue with Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, who we are sure will sweep the governorship poll.

Makinde’s issue

“There is also the APC governorship candidate (Teslim) Folarin who is prominent in Oyo. These are complex situations we are still grappling with and I can tell you that is where we are. The PDP governors are astute people who are very good in politics.’’

The source also noted that there were increasing pressures on the APC presidential candidate to call the bluff of the Integrity Group by not conceding any positions to them.

Except for Rivers, the party chieftain said it had been projected that Benue and Oyo would fall because of the volume of mobilisation campaigns that had been carried out in the two states.

“Whether Makinde likes it or not, Oyo will fall. Abia has never been our ground. We also lost in Enugu and Benue in 2019 where we failed to get 25 per cent. Yet, we still won the presidency.

“I can tell you without Ortom, we have a very good chance of winning Benue in 2023 with Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia. But we know Rivers State is where we are very vulnerable and may need Wike to push up. These are the five states that we lost yet won the presidential election in 2019.

“The truth, however, remains that Asiwaju knows that these five states are not the tipping points to win. It is just to make his victory double sure that we have to pitch tent with them. But as I told you, they are not in a position to stamp their feet, draw the line and impose conditions on Asiwaju. Their support is inevitable because these governors really have nowhere else to go,” he said confidently.

On whether there is a chance Tinubu might meet the group again in January before they announce their preferred candidate, the politician disclosed that the negotiation had not ended.

Tinubu’s plan

He said, “It is an ongoing conversation. The point is that Asiwaju must carry the people (candidates) within those states along with our internal structures. Asiwaju must consider these factors before opting for a pyrrhic victory. He will talk to other leaders of our party.”

But a source in the PDP governors’ camp confirmed the demand they placed before Tinubu. He, however, said that a decision had been taken regarding the governors’ support for the APC standard bearer.

“Agreements have been reached and decisions have been taken. The announcement will be made in January. The people will be informed on the decisions that have been made,” he said.

On his part, the Media Director of the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council, Bayo Onanuga, declined comments on the issue.

Onanuga stated that aside from knowing that the governors were backing his principal, he had no idea about their alleged conditions.

“I don’t want to speculate on this issue. I don’t know what was discussed. But I know that the G-5 governors are backing Bola Tinubu. I can’t go further than that.

“After all, the governors said they will announce their preferred candidate in January. Why not wait for them?” he stated.

‘Govs’ offer positive’

Also, a presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, in a tweet on Thursday, stated, “The offer put forward by the five governors was fantastically positive. That will definitely help us seal our victory. Let us do it together.”

The spokesman for the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, also shied away from discussing the G-5 demands.

Instead, he blamed the leadership of the PDP for the woes in the party.

Keyamo disclosed that he had always known long before now that collapsing the zoning process to accommodate the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would lead to the implosion of the party.

He stated, “The PDP has turned to a caricature that people now laugh at. We always knew the PDP implosion will come even before the primaries. We were waiting for it to happen.

“When it was very obvious to zone the presidency to the South, the PDP was too scared to take the bold step. Whereas, this same thing could have happened to us if the Northern APC governors had not risen to the challenge boldly and zoned the presidency to the South.

“Even when the ruling party was dilly-dallying on the issue, the governors took the bull by the horn and zoned it to save the APC from this kind of implosion the PDP is having. This is what they should have done. They actually met and agreed the presidency should come to the South in Asaba but (Delta State governor, Ifeanyi) Okowa stabbed them in the back.’’

Meanwhile, there are indications that the aggrieved PDP governors would arrive in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Friday (today) after their meeting with Tinubu in the UK.

The PUNCH gathered that they equally met with a former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who has been in detention in London for alleged involvement in an attempted organ harvesting since June.

A close aide of one of the governors dismissed the threat by the PDP leadership to sanction the governors, saying they did nothing wrong to warrant the invocation of relevant provisions of the party constitution on the discipline of members.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity stated, “They will brief the press tomorrow (today) as soon as they arrive in Port Harcourt. They may speak on their preferred candidate of course but their stand is that the party cannot sanction them because they have not done anything wrong.

‘’As it is, they believe they are championing a cause backed by the PDP constitution in matters of fairness and equity. So, their argument is that they are on track in demanding that after eight years of Presidency in the North; the South should be supported to have a shot at it.’’

In his reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba told The PUNCH that the PDP would not address the issue until the governors speak on their preferred candidate, saying, “Ours is a party of order and rules. Until we get to the bridge, we won’t cross it.”

On his part, the immediate past National Secretary of the party and member of NEC, Ibrahim Tsauri said the leadership of the party would act at the appropriate time.