Politics

What I Told Aggrieved Govs – Bala Mohammed

Published

2 years ago

November 10, 2022

Editor

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has said that he is highly connected to the aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors.

Mohammed, who said this on Wednesday when the aggrieved governors paid him a solidarity visit in Bauchi, said he shared his fears and worries with the governors during the visit.

The governor hosted his Rivers, Abia, Benue and Enugu state counterparts-Nyesom Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, was absent as he was said to be out of the country.

The governors arrived the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi in four chartered aircrafts – 5N- BZS, 5N-RSG, 5N-AOO and 5N-IZY, and were driven straight to the Presidential Lodge also known as Ramat House.

During their meeting, Mohammed bared his mind on the developments in the state chapter of the party as well as the personal issues he had with the PDP flag bearer.

The PUNCH reliably gathered that the governors would meet in Enugu on Saturday where they would witness the inauguration of the state PDP campaign council.

Mohammed is expected to attend the Enugu meeting where he would formally join the group of aggrieved governors.

A senior aide to Governor Ortom confided in our correspondent that the sole purpose of the visit by the five governors was to lure Mohammed into their fold.

Addressing the media shortly before going into their meeting, the governors described themselves as the bedrock of the party, adding that they were open to reconciliation.

In response, Mohammed, who was full of appreciation to the governors for the visit, noted that he was with them but they “excommunicated” him.

He said, “I am supposed to be with them but they excommunicated me for reasons best known to them but I am highly connected to each and every one of them. There is hardly a day I don’t call or speak to one of them because in politics, you go with the people you share things in common with.

“This presidency (Presidential primaries) that we ran when my brother was defeated, who in turn defeated me, has brought us close and of course at the governors forum, we are very close. One thing I appreciate about them is that they look at your challenges. They are not going back for a second term but they are always worried about others.

“Their own particular ideas, principles may be slightly different from mine, but certainly, I feel their pains as much as they feel my own pains. We share so much in common.”

Continuing, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory said the governors knew his challenges which he said include what he described as the treachery in the state chapter of the PDP.

Mohammed said: “They know I have challenges in Bauchi, the challenges of anti-party, the challenges of undercutting, treachery and mischief. But of course, politics is about all these. And when you know that you have people of this stature and calibre behind you, you feel fulfilled.

“I’m happy they are here and I’ll have the opportunity of confiding in people that I believe I can confide in, some of my worries, fears, apprehensions and that of my state.

“So, I’m happy that you came because some of those things may not be said on the telephone, but to say that as PDP members from the same family, I always see you as fellow comrades in this journey of life. I thank you most sincerely for taking the trouble to come.”

In a brief interview with journalists, Mohammed admitted that he wrote to the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyiorcha Ayu, to intimate him about the opposition to his second term ambition by some elements in the party.

He said that the letter was written by the PDP family in Bauchi state in order to express their displeasure about the way things were going on with him and the state at large.

Mohammed said that in response to the letter, the national headquarters of the PDP directed him to meet and discuss with the presidential flag bearer of the party, in order to find an amicable resolution to the problem.

The governor, however, did not disclose whether he reconciled with Atiku, adding that they discussed “extensively.”

Mohammed stated, “It is no longer news that I wrote a letter to the party on my position in Bauchi; what I have found out to be working against me as a leader and as a first term governor going for my second term.

“I wrote it with all honesty and sincerity and with a deep sense of humility and that was why the party invited me to go and discuss with the flag bearer of the PDP and leader, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we discussed extensively and I have gotten some explanations.

“The letter I wrote was not only written by me, it was written by the PDP family in Bauchi and the government of Bauchi and that was why I was there and we discussed extensively.”

Asked if he had decided to team up with the Wike camp, the ex-FCT minister replied, “As for the G-5 Governors, I always joke with them that I am a G-1, but I am inexorably connected with them. We have always been together and you know it: governor Wike, governor Ortom, governor Ugwuanyi and governor Ikpeazu, have been here several times and I have been with them several times.

“I think these are some of the takeaways I have as a governor, having friends for life. So, I am everywhere, but of course, it doesn’t mean that I am nowhere.”
PUNCH

Politics

Edo Guber: Ex-Speaker Rejoins APC With Over 2000 Followers

Published

20 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

A Former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, rejoined the All Progressives Congress.

The former Speaker had resigned his membership of the People Democratic Party on May 10, assuring that he would announce his next political move in the coming days.

Speaking at a rally in Edo Central, he said that about 2500 people moved to APC in Esan West, Esan Central, Esan North East, Esan South East and Igueben.

He said, “About 2500 people from Labour, PDP joined the APC on Sunday. Prior to today (Sunday), we had met, discussed and asked Governor Godwin Obaseki led PDP government to address the issue of alienation, disillusionment and high handedness and despotic tendencies.

“Nothing has been done to address the issue, so we the “aborigine” PDP, have just given the Obaseki led PDP a red card.

When asked how his return to APC will help the party, he said, “My movement to APC will help the party and I will be simple with my analysis.

“In a democracy, votes matter. So my exit from PDP is a minus to the party whether anybody likes to interpret other wise. If they are Democrats, they will know that at least they have lost my vote not to talk of many others that moved with me to APC.

“With what happened today, they have lost a minimum of 500 votes and these 500 people also have people they can convince to work for APC.

“We will begin the house to house campaign soon and let people know why they must leave PDP and join in the APC. They musy vote a candidate that is humane and not business people who are in the state to make profit,” he added.

Politics

Atiku Hints On Supporting Obi For 2027 Presidential Race

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that if in 2027, the party decides that it is the South-East’s turn and selects Peter Obi as its candidate, he will readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

He added that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Atiku added that members of the party would decide his fate in the 2027 general elections.

The former Vice President mentioned that his recent meeting with Obi might indicate a possible alliance leading up to the 2027 general elections.

Responding to questions about the meeting with Obi, Atiku said, “It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”

On whether this will bring about a merger, he said, “Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible, and nothing can stop it if we wish to achieve that.”

The former Vice President, who denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion, said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

On why he’s still in active politics, Atiku said, “Yes, we can’t keep quiet and watch things go wrong. People are suffering and we are committed to making Nigeria a better place.

“It means you are not tired of politics of Nigeria? Not at all. I am still in active politics in Nigeria, at least, as long as God permits.

“My age doesn’t stop the young ones from testing their fate. Everybody, irrespective of age, is allowed to aspire to be anybody in the society, politically or otherwise.”

Regarding his 2027 Presidential ambition, the former Vice President said “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.

“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.

“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”

Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections.

Obi was a PDP member until 2022, when he left to pursue his presidential ambitions with the Labour Party.

He finished third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Atiku blamed Obi’s departure from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.

Analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes combined with Obi’s 6,101,533 votes could have secured a win against Tinubu, who received 8,794,726 votes.

Monday’s meeting marked the first public interaction between Obi and Atiku since the election.

Social media and online platforms were flooded with viral photos of Obi’s meetings with the three PDP figures on Monday.

In 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the PDP ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

However, due to internal conflicts, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Politics

JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

Published

4 days ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
PUNCH