PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES – WIKE, TAMBUWAL BETRAYAL SAGA!

Opinion

By OLADIPỌ Oluwọle

Who betrayed whom amongst the dramatis personae at the just concluded presidential primaries/convention of the People Democratic Party, (PDP), in Abuja ?

The River State Governor, His Excellency, Nyesome Wike’s support for Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State at the 2018 PDP presidential primaries, was beyond mere friendship and love, but deep down was a prompting covert political issue of reference in political discord/hatred, which eventually led Governor Wike to enter into the 2022 PDP presidential primaries race, himself!

The premature removal of the former Chairman of the PDP National Working Committee, (NWC), Prince Uche Secondus, and the Southern PDP Governors joining the Southern APC Governors, to orchestrate the aggitations for a Southern Presidency, were the two tactical masterstrokes, employed by Governor Nyesome Wike to execute his grand-modus operandi plans, not only to seize PDP political structures, but to cleverly launch his own presidential ambition.

His early championed aggitation for Southern presidency was misconstrued to be in the interest of the South East, until he entered the race alongside some of the Igbo presidential aspirants, like Pius Anyim and Peter Obi, who was eventually forced out of the PDP, like many other frustrated ambitious South East politicians, vying for other elective posts. And others across the country.

At the onset of 2021, and towards the preparations for the 2023 general elections, Governor Wike’s Portharcourt abode was the first place of call for Alhaji Atiku, on his return from overseas studies.

In a press release from the Rivers State Government, after the meeting, Atiku was described as a detribalized Nigerian, whose marriage transcended the three major tribes, symbolising Nigeria unity that Atiku’s presidency would promote, according to the press release.

However, not quite long thereafter that false allegations by Governor Wike’s footsoldiers, like Kassim Afegbua, a former spokesman to Alhaji Atiku, began to fly a kite, ranging from Atiku abandoning PDP after the 2019 general elections saga, to the old age presidency syndrome, which other younger PDP Governors like Governor Seyi Makinde of Ọ̀yọ́ State, and other presidential aspirants like Bala Mohammed and Aminu Tambuwal, often used to taunt/campaign against Atiku, having the illusion that Governor Wike was trying to promote their political interests ! But, the dramatic joining the race by Governor Wike, was really the point of political departure which made Governor Tambuwal to thereafter be irregular at the PDP Governors Forum meetings, as the Chairman.

In essence, Wike’s support for Governor Tambuwal in 2018 was not out of friendship or love, but because of the deep down disdain Wike had for Atiku. And the real political issue of reference in political discord/hatred was revealed by Governor Wike, himself, in the course of his campaigns, as 2022 PDP presidential aspirant, by always alluding the defeat of Jonathan in 2015 to the defection of Atiku to APC.

Hence, Wike joining the race, with the belief that party stalwarts like him should reap from the fruit of their contributions to the party, and not Atiku Abubakar.

However, it was very glaring that the insistence of president Goodluck Jonathan to recontest in 2015, after completing the two terms of late President Yar’Adua, led to the 2013/2014 PDP implosion.

Who then betrayed whom amongst the lots ?

However, I know that politicians are emotionally intelligent and matured, knowing how to deal, settle and reference themselves on their political terrains!

*OLADIPỌ Oluwọle, former Director of Information & Education. Ogun State writes from Soka, Ibadan.08033598528.