ON ASABA MEETING: IS PDP CONTEMPLATING TAMBUWAL AS ITS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

ON ASABA MEETING: IS PDP CONTEMPLATING TAMBUWAL AS ITS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

                     By:
Nurudeen Dauda
        December 15,2017
nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com
nurudeendauda24@gmail.com 
nurudeendauda.blogspot.com

Permit me to add my voice on this supposed "political permutation" ahead of 2019 general elections. It was reported by many national dailies that Governors Tambuwal, Wike, Okowa and former Delta State Governor, James Ibori held a " discreet meeting" in Asaba, Delta state on the 13th day of December, 2017 . It is clear to most "political observers " that, the " new chief power broker" of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) is Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.

It was crystal clear to some of us that few hours before the PDP's national convention that the "election"was going to favour Prince Uche Secondus who was alleged to be backed by Governors Wike , Fayose and others. With the emergence of Prince Uche Secondus, it seems like"the coast is now clear" for the governors who perfected the plans. From the December 9th, 2017 victory it was clear that the Presidential ticket for Senator Ahmad Muhammad Makarfi "was in the offing" barring any last minute changes.

In my observation, the Asaba meeting might be one of those last minute "changes" or "calculation" within the ranks of the PDP in favour of Governor Tambuwal even thought he is still an APC governor. We need a vibrant political opposition in the country for the good of our democracy. It is clear to most political observers that, for the opposition party to get it right in the next general elections, it must get its choice of candidate right otherwise it will not be competitive.

In my view, for PDP to have a "saleable "as well as "competitive" candidate come 2019, it must present a candidate who can "match" president Buhari's " integrity " and or at least someone who has no record of "corruption scandal". To my mind, looking at the mind boggling corruption allegations uncovered by the EFCC which affected mostly its members, the party should be aware that, should Nigerians have any reason to "change" president Buhari, it must be with someone who has "unblemished"records of public service.

Perhaps it is in line with this "thought" that the new power brokers of the party are in desperate move to "search" for a "saleable" candidate. In my understanding, the new power brokers of PDP predictably might have resolved to use "age factor" as a "campaign tool" in 2019 in order to attract youth "sentiments " to which Governor Tambuwal fits in. More so, it seems like, the power brokers are looking for a credible candidate who can match President Buhari's integrity. It is equally possible that they are looking for a candidate that will be acceptable to the country's elite to which Tambuwal fits in.

Governor Tambuwal has been a presidential hopeful right from 2015 when some of his colleagues then at the national assembly bought a nomination form for him to contest  for then APC's presidential primaries.Some politicians in the then opposition All progressives Congress (APC) in collaboration with some powerful elite have in 2015 contemplated sponsoring Tambuwal has the party's flag bearer. Rt Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal then as the "Speaker" accepted the "form" but told his colleagues that he needed to "consult" widely on the issue. After his consultation he decided to go for the Governorship of Sokoto state.

It is no news to say that Governor Wike who is now the chief power broker in the PDP has a good relationship with Governor Tambuwal . Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was in Rivers state on the 26th of August , 2016 to commission two projects completed by Governor Wike. Governor Wike had in June 27, 2017 led a delegation of powerful politicians /traditional rulers from Rivers state for Sallah visit to Governor Tambuwal as well as the Sultan of Sokoto.

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is still in APC , should PDP offer its presidential ticket to him will he cross over in order to accept it?

SHOULD PDP GIVE HIM ITS TICKET, WHAT ARE HIS CHANCES?

Going by how Rt. Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal led the Federal House of Representatives from 2011-2015 he will be well accepted in both the South- South and South East geopolitical zones. Looking at the strength of PDP in both the South-  South and East zones all things being equal the party will have good showing. For the entire North one can argue without fear of contradiction that the elite will widely accept him. However, for the masses of Northern Nigeria who constitute the majority one can argue that only time will tell.

HIS  LIKELY HURDLES:

In view of president Buhari's support in the north and who is likely to be APC's flag bearer will he fare well in the north? South- West geopolitical zone will remain the main political battle ground as in 2015. Will the South West geopolitical zone forgive him for his alleged two times roles in denying them of speakership position? Will Tambuwal's candidacy suit the South - West  presidential ambition of 2023? From which zone will he pick VP, South- East or West ? Will the northern Masses vote for him?

May God bless Nigeria!

Popular posts from this blog

ISRAEL V. PALESTINE :THE HYPOCRISY OF TWO STATES SOLUTION

ISRAEL V. PALESTINE :THE HYPOCRISY OF TWO STATES SOLUTION                             By:                 Nurudeen Dauda                October 19, 2023 nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com nurudeendauda24@gmail.com nurudeendauda.blogspot.com "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict"-Martin Luther King, Jr. Permit me to add my voice on the ongoing massacre of women, children, and armless civilians in Palestine. In my thought, it is not about who triggers the present massacre of the Palestinians , but it is time to talk about the 76 years of massacre of women, children, and the armless civilians of Palestine by the state of Israel which is being watched helplessly by the entire world. Before 1948, the Jews worldwide lived predominantly outside Palestine.They lived predominantly in easter...
Read more

INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY ON THE WAY

INDEPENDENT CANDIDACY ON THE WAY                                By:                          May 19th, 2023 nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com nurudeendauda24@gmail.com nurudeendauda.blogspot.com Barring any last minute changes a "bill" for the recognition of an independent candidacy will be transmitted to Mr president for his "assent". In my thought, if the "bill" is finally "signed" into law it will largely "checkmate" the "excesses" of "governors" and "moneybags" politicians who often denied "credible" candidates "tickets"in order to pave ways for their "anointed" ones no matter their weaknesses. In our modern day politics, we have had enough cases where "credible", "competent", and "popular" candidates loss primary elections due to lack of "money" or "godfather" or state governor's anointment.  In my thought, allowing independent...
Read more

ZAINAB'S ORDEAL: A CASE OF INSTITUTIONAL WEAKNESSES

ZAINAB'S ORDEAL: A CASE OF INSTITUTIONAL WEAKNESSES                         By              Nurudeen Dauda                May 5, 2019 nurudeendauda24@gmail.com nurudeendauda24@yahoo.com nurudeendauda.blogspot.com To begin with, there is now an alleged "drug cartel" in our airports which specialised in planting drugs on unsuspecting airtravellers. Of the six alleged members of the drug cartel arrested in connection with planting of Tramadol in a bag bearing Zainab Habibu Aliyu's name, three were said to be "clearing agents", two were said to be staff of a"security company" and one a staff of an "airline handling company". In my observation, the arrest of Miss Aliyu in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in respect of 2000 packs of "Tramadol" said to be found in a bag bearing her name has nothing , but succeeded in exposing our institutional weaknesses.Heads shoul...
Read more