By Billy Graham Abel Yola
One of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s foremost loyalists and founder of the Atiku Deservatiom, Dr. Sani Adamu, has faulted the treatment given to Governor Nyesom Wike by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), saying that he is a symbol of party loyalty and, therefore, must be respected in order to strengthen the bond of unity in the party.
With the 2023 general elections fast approaching, the straight-talking politician said that the PDP would be heading for a destined failure at the polls if Wike is not brought back on board.
Without mincing words, Adamu told the PDP hierarchy to close ranks and meet Wike’s demands, pointing out that APC’s only chance is the continued rift between Wike and Atiku, warning that the rift alone can cause PDP the 2023 general elections. Excerpt:
Long before the seasons of electioneering activities in Nigeria, you were among the first to predict that Atiku will emerge as the candidate of the PDP. What gave you such confidence at that time?
That’s right. I had this confidence because there is not a single politician with Atiku Abubakar credentials. He was in the system and we have seen what he did from the 2019 polls. He is competent, reliable, and has the capacity. He possesses the resources and experience, which none of the contenders have. That was what gave me the confidence at that time.
Shortly after the 2019 elections, your party the PDP, seems to have gone through some challenges leading to some of your members to shift loyalty to other parties quickly, how were you able to close ranks to form a formidable front heading into the 2023 general elections?
Shifting loyalty to other parties is normal in politics. You can see even in the ruling party (APC), quite a number of lawmakers both in the Senate and House of Reps have moved to the PDP, and more are planning to join the party. I will remind you that PDP won in Osun State with all the human and capital resources APC had. So, APC should be worrying about shifting loyalty, not PDP. This indicates how formidable PDP is and how it can face the 2023 general elections.
You are a well-known Atiku loyalist and supporter, how would you define the contest between Atiku and his closest challenger at the primaries, Governor Nyesom Wike, during the primaries?
It was a ferocious battle. People underestimated Governor Wike’s capacity. A lot thought it was going to be a run-over for Atiku, but it was clear from the outcome of the result that if Governor Tambuwal had not stepped down for Atiku, certainly it would have been a different ballgame by now, anyway we talk about another time.
Shortly after the primaries, the seemingly united party, has become a fighting front between Wike and his support base on one hand and Atiku and the rest of the party on the other hand, would you not say that this in-fighting is weakening your party’s charge for elections victory in 2023?
Unfortunately, this is where the problem is and regrettably, it will cause PDP to mislay the 2023 presidential election. Let us not deceive ourselves, Governor Wike holds the four aces. PDP will implode in the 2023 elections woefully without his support. When people say Wike controls only Rivers or South-south, it makes me laugh. They forget that this is the man who garnered 237 votes in the last presidential primaries and remembers that South-south as a whole has only 129 delegates. This is to show you that Wike’s tentacles are spread all over the country, his nomination form is secured by some northern support base.
Starting from your party primaries to the choice of a vice presidential candidate, how would you assess the general treatment of Wike?
My advocacy from January this year (2022), urging PDP for a consensus to give Atiku the ticket as their flag bearer was also matched with my suggestion of Wike as his running mate. I then advised all PDP stakeholders to learn from experience and ensure less expensive and acrimonious conventions and nominations. This is common sense. Atiku Abubakar needs not to waste resources in intra-party processes. He has nothing more to say about himself that PDP and the majority of Nigerians do not know. It has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that he is the best for Nigeria at this time. I can tell you that nationally speaking, Atiku is the man over which Nigerians will not want to repeat the mistake of 2015 and 2019 and choose someone like President Muhammadu Buhari or any person he recommends because he is a complete failure and a political disaster. Do you think any sensible Nigerian will trust him enough to vote for any APC candidate? Of course, not. Then PDP should pick its fights smartly instead of wasting time and effort within the party.
Consensus is the way to go for PDP presidential candidates for the 2023 elections. The same applies to the vice president nominee. The principles of consensus can be applied to all major political and government positions. We must as well recognize the PDP faithful, who held the party and ensured its survival when others looked away. Strong party faithful should be given due recognition and their loyalty be rewarded. Politics is a game of numbers and strength of party members. Strength in terms of resource mobilization, fearlessness, and support to other party members. I can tell you that Atiku Abubakar himself knows those who stood by the PDP when it mattered most. It is his duty to lead the process of consensus through giving and taking. The nomination of the vice presidential candidate would be based on several permutations, most of which are numerous to mention here. To be frank, Wike was not treated fairly after the primaries. It began right from the primaries where Governor Tambuwal stepped down for Atiku, anyway that is why it is called (politics/game). Secondly, during the election of running mate. There was an election, as we have heard, Wike got 14 votes out of 17, but he was denied the slot. In addition, some of Atiku’s loyalists found it fun to always take unnecessary jabs at Wike. Can you hear anyone, anywhere in the country talking of the current vice presidential candidate? Instead, Wike is the talk of the town. Look at his strides and legacy, he is busy flagging off and commissioning projects in his dear state; anywhere you go, it is Wike, in PDP’s secretariats, Wike, in the market, Wike, airports, Wike, groups, Wike, Wike, Wike, Wike as he is always putting smiles on people’s lives.
With the current reality of Wike’s credibility and influence, how would you advise your party, PDP to resolve this debacle between Atiku and Wike, seeing that 2023 is fast approaching?
My clear advice to the party is to look into Wike’s demands and address them all and at the moment I think it is too late for any fruitful advice. I would have counselled the party to look into and meet all of Wike’s demands. But looking into the dynamics and recent happenings, even if they come to any agreement it may not work. The duo will still fight each other underground. It will take a miracle to clear the distaste and rebuild trust between them.
We know APC is facing its own internal crisis, how do you see the chances of PDP against APC in the 2023 general elections?
APC only stands a chance if issues within the PDP are not resolved. People are tired of the APC. It has absolutely nothing to campaign on. So, their prayer is that the feud between Wike and Atiku continues and that they continue to hold meetings abroad.
As one of the foremost Atiku campaigners, what would you say to Nigerians that are still doubting Atiku, why should Nigerians vote for him in 2023?
There is no experienced politician who has the people at heart among all the contenders like Atiku. He was there, and we have seen his contributions and capacity. He is a grassroots mobiliser and a unifier. Indeed, if he is elected I have no doubt there is going to be a paradigm shift.
Looking back at the country, how would you say APC has fared in managing Nigeria’s affairs since taking over?
APC is the scam of the 21st Century. They have made everything worse since 2015. They never fulfilled a single promise they made besides making lives unbearable for the Nigerian populace. APC has failed woefully in all ramifications and should never be given another chance. Lastly, my frank and candid advice to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are that they must kick against allowing the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to leave the party because it will jeopardize the chances of the party in the 2023 presidential elections. if the PDP does not settle the crisis currently facing it, the party will sink and go to limp after the 2023 presidential election. Let the party leaders and presidential candidate, Abubakar Atiku find ways to make peace to win the election. Also, Wike will sink too and lose political relevance if he leaves the party while urging him and other governors planning to work against the party to see divine direction than relying on their physical strength. PDP should not allow Wike to leave because if leaves, the chances of the party in the presidential election will be jeopardized. What Wike is conjuring can cause PDP so much. And Atiku should also try to adjust, and this is not about dominating, it is about forging a winning and smart alliance. He as a leader should also try and make peace work in the party. Only peace and the presence of some important people can give the party victory. Wike leaving PDP will dent the victory of Atiku because other important members of the party will leave with him and it will make the election tougher for the party.