From Romanus Ugwu
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has declared that the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, have painted the opposition party in an opaque colour of share the money, stomach infrastructure, and rent seekers by placing their personal interests above national unity.
He regretted what he called a comedy of errors and odd consensus in PDP caused by the unholy alliance between the duo of Ayu and the party’s presidential candidate, to breach PDP’s constitution and by extension the power rotation gentleman agreement that holds Nigeria together.
He claimed that the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Nigeria will mirror many aspects of the recent presidential poll in the Republic of Kenya, among which are the electronic transmission of results and expected outcomes.
In a statement he made available to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, Okechukwu hinged the crisis of confidence and mutual suspicion dogging the major opposition party, on the controversial vote of confidence from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on the national chairman, Ayu.
According to Okechukwu, what Ayu succeeded in doing by retaining the imbalance between the North and South in the PDP and arrogantly refusing to step down from his party’s high horse chairmanship, is simply to willfully coronate Atiku, as Nigeria’s 2023 version of Raila Odinga.
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“You will note that after all, both Atiku and Raila share a lot in common – former Vice Presidents, and serial presidential candidates. Indeed, Ayu has by his nepotism given us the impetus to, from henceforth, with no harm meant, address Nigeria’s former Vice President as His Excellency Atiku Odinga,” he declared.
The APC chieftain narrated how most patriotic Nigerians waited with high expectations that the 79th PDP National Executive Council will take a profound decision aimed at redressing the North-South imbalance by placating the betrayed members of its Southern bloc with the chairmanship.
“But, having superimposed nepotism and arrogantly breached the PDP constitution; Ayu and Atiku rather propelled the tokenism of swapping the ceremonial BOT chairmanship, which was akin to telling a child at a village ceremony that since plates to serve rice has finished, he should open his palms to collect his portion,” Okechukwu stated.
Okechukwu, the Director General (DG) Voice of Nigeria (VON), further argued that PDP has finally convinced Nigerians that they are neither prepared nor interested in building a harmonious, united and progressive country.
His words: “Atiku and Ayu have regrettably painted PDP in the opaque colour of party of share the money, stomach infrastructure, and rent-seekers; by placing their personal interests above national unity. I dare say that by this unholy divisive alliance, PDP has manipulated itself out of contention for the 2023 general elections, hence the Odinga insignia.”