NIGERIA 2023: TAMBUWAL DID NOT BETRAY WIKE, THE SOUTH BETRAYED THE SOUTH – AMB. OKEREKE
Amb. Chibuzo Okereke
I can boldly tell you as a participant observer that, Tambuwal didn’t betray Gov Wike, even though Wike comes out today to tell you that he was betrayed. I won’t accept that. We have established that one and we will allow events in the coming days to unfold.
2. H.E Governor Wike didn’t betray H.E Governor Peter Obi. No, not all at all. Those that betrayed Governor Peter Obi, (if at all it will be called a betrayal in the political parlance), we know them and they know themselves. It was the South and South-East that were betrayed not individuals and it was not the North that betrayed the South rather it was the South that betrayed the South. All politicians know this simple truth.
3. Governor Wike was the first Governor to openly kick against zoning of the PDP Presidential ticket to the South. He said, “the Party should focus on winning formula, and go to where they have the opportunity to win the elections, not focusing on zoning.” Wike said a party that is not in power can’t be talking about zoning. He argued that the need to get the power first before sharing the power.
4. Governor Wike, only recently joined the call for zoning to the South after the entire Southern Governors Forum held several meetings and passed resolutions calling for both APC and PDP to zone to the South. Wike before this time was the leading advocate for power to go to the North. His statements are in the public domain and can be accessed by anybody except that in Nigeria, we mostly like focusing on the moment without looking back.
5. Throughout this period, Governor Peter Obi didn’t make any statement concerning power coming to the South. People pressed him to declare for President that it was the turn of the South, but he kept mute and as we later understood, he was waiting to know if Atiku will contest and also for Atiku to give direction.
According to those who support this position, they said: “it was wrong and will amount to a betrayal of trust if Obi declared without clearing from Atiku since Atiku took a lot of risks to field him as VP in 2019 elections.” How right these pundits were and advisors to Gov. Obi, I can’t confirm.
6. By the time Gov Obi received a brief on the new plan about how the new VP would emerge under the PDP, and how no VP will be selected like it was done in 2019 because of different power blocs of the Governors believe that their colleague must be in play. Though it was late, Gov. Obi was courageous and bold. He took up the challenge and declared for Presidency a few days after attending H.E Atiku’s declaration where he spoke glowingly about H.E Atiku’s capacity to manage the country and lead Nigeria to prosperity.
7. In my estimation, Gov Obi would not have left the PDP except that those who feared he may still emerge as the VP against all odds went to work to destabilise him, the last stroke being the complete mesmerization of Anambra PDP and manipulations to ensure that anything close to Obi in Anambra PDP was dismantled including not allowing Mr Osita Chidoka to contest for the National delegate election in his LGA, manipulation of delegates lists etc. The people who helped to do these things are from Anambra and only a few powers from above as they say.
8. No South-Eastern Governor supported Gov Obi’s Presidency, they didn’t even support South East -Presidency not to talk about supporting Gov. Obi. Yet, they were part of the resolutions that urged the Party leadership in Nigeria to zone the Presidency to the South. They openly endorsed Gov Wike, not Obi, so how did Wike betray Gov Obi? They both have the right to apply their political leverages to overcome each other.
9. I can’t think of any Governor in South-South Nigeria either that supported Gov Wike’s presidency at least not Gov Okowa nor Gov Obaseki. Who did they support?
10. Most South-Western States voted for Atiku who led that?
11. Who gave the judicial interpretation of section 84(8) of the new Electoral Act 2022 that led the PDP to adopt that section to mean Adhoc and national delegates, was it a court of law, No! So who did? Are you aware that this interpretation and adoption of one national delegate per LGA conferred an advantage to the North? Yes! Guess what, Southern interest brokers led that effort.
12. Don’t forget that the Southern Governors in the PDP who have been sustaining the party since 2015 didn’t even blink for a second nor put up any form of opposition to the events leading to the PDP declaring its presidential ticket open without zoning contrary to the Party’s constitution. This was only made possible because most of the Southern PDP leaders have already taken the position Wike took long ago that power should go to the North for the PDP to have a chance to return to power.
12. Gov Obi may have moved to Labour Party but still has a chance if the right things are done.
Amb. Okereke
Legislative Expert and Public Policy Analyst
Convener: National Political Equity Movement -Nigeria
08094549183
sucokereke@gmail.com
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