By Nsikak Nseyen Doyin Okupe, a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and Peter Obi’s Campaign Director, has revealed how...
By Nsikak Nseyen
Doyin Okupe, a former aide of ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan, and Peter Obi’s Campaign Director,
has revealed how Atiku Abubakar’s victory was concluded before the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential election.
Recall that Atiku, on Saturday, defeated Wike, Saraki, Udom
and others to emerge presidential flagbearer of the PDP.
Reacting on Twitter, Okupe said southern leaders were naive
to have believed a southern presidential candidate was certain.
In a series of tweets, he wrote, ”ATIKU’S VICTORY AND THE
SUPREMACY OF THE NORTH. Atiku won the PDP presidential primaries on Saturday,
the 28th of May 2023. But the assurance of the victory was concluded some 24hrs
before the delegates elections.
”The main challenger, Nyesom Wike had nearly overran the
whole country with massive deployment of resources and had actually overtaken
the Crown Prince himself.
”Prior to the advent of the primaries, the North had taken a
preemptive strike by installing a loyalist as the National Chairman with ready
acquiescence of PDP Southern leaders who believed naively that with that
arrangement in place, a southern presidential candidate was a certainty.
”The only job of the National Chairman was to cause a
flagrant violation of the PDP constitution and ensure a paralysis of the zoning
arrangement.
”After this the remaining job, which was completely
overlooked by Wike and his powerful clique of serving and former governors, was
to cause a late rally of northern delegates which was certain to guarantee
victory since the north had a significant numerical advantage over the south
”There was partial compliance but that was enough to tilt
the crown towards the forever towering Atiku.
”The motley crowd of southern aspirants present a shameful
and near pathetic view. An assembly of self-seeking and self-conceited but
nevertheless unwise collection of naive politicians, competing in as minions in
a game organized and executed by experts and celebrated master
”My only regret in all these is that southern politicians
will always be defeated in this arena till kingdom come because each crop of
new leaders assumes that assertion to power is an incontestable evidence of
acquisition of knowledge and experience.
”Those who asked Tambuwal to withdraw were not rich people,
neither were they serving nor former governors. Those who do not respect the
council of elders are often met with failures and shame in their many pursuits.
”Once again, the North has triumphed over the folly of their
southern counterparts. But let us hope this is not a pyrrhic victory. Only time
will tell.”
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