By Emeka Amaefula
“YOUR PRESIDENCY IS TEMPORARY” PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY 2023 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ATIKU ABUBAKAR TELLS TINUBU
The 2023 Retreat Meeting organized by Peoples Democratic Party -PDP targeted for elected Party officials held at the Banquet Hall of Bauchi, Bauchi state on 3rd of June, ended with revelations one of which included statement made by Atiku Abubakar that the newly sworn in Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Government is a temporary Government. While addressing the stakeholders at the retreat Alhaji Abubakar said that members of the 10th National Assembly Elect should not be “Rubber Stamps” but should be a strong voice to Nigerians “You are there to serve as a formidable opposition to this administration.” He admonished the National assembly members to understand that based on the results as announced by the INEC and pending the determination of electoral challenges currently going on in court, PDP members Elect are not the majority. Prompted by this, other Minority elected Political parties such as Young Peoples Party YPP, Labour Party LP and New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP to form a formidable force during the election of the Principal officers of the National Assembly.
The PDP retreat held at Bauchi had in attendants Governors elected under the platform of PDP, National Assembly members Elect and critical stakeholders including Members of the National Working Committee, NWC, National executive Committee NEC and leadership of the Party led by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum. Missing at the meeting was former Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike who never sent representatives to the meeting. A member of the NEC Timothy Osadolor while speaking to a section of the National media said that the Former Governor of Rivers state Wike is longer a member of the PDP as he had been rendered inconsequential. In his own words “The PDP has ignored Wike because the man is no longer himself. There are more ways to deal with people apart from sanctioning them. You can keep someone in isolation. He (Wike) can boast that he is the one that stayed away from party activities and nobody wants to associate with you? He has been given a cold treatment because he went to court to procure a judgment that says he cannot be suspended but there is no judgment that says he cannot be avoided. That is what the PDP has been doing to him technically, if Wike wants to say the truth, he will tell you that he is no longer a member of the PDP. No PDP leader or member behaves the way he does.”
Rising from the meeting on Saturday 3rd of June, 2023 Rivers state Governor Siminialaye Joseph Fubara attended and Oyo State Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde, Bayelsa state Governor Douye Diri, Adamawa state Governor Umaru Fintiri, Plateau state Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, Osun state Governor Ademola Adeleke and his Edo state Counterpart, Godwin Obaseki who was represented by his Deputy Philip Shuaibu and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Zamfara State Governor Dauda Dare all were there where Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed emerged as Chairman of PDP Governors Forum as Governor Fubara became Deputy Chairman.
Other dignitaries who were in the National Retreat meeting include Atiku Abubakar, Chairman Board of Trustees Adolphus Wabara, former national Chairman Ahmed Makarfi, Firmer Board of Trustees Chairman Walid Jibril, former Governor of Niger state Senator Babangida Aliyu, former Governor of Sokoto state and former Chairman of PDP Governors Forum Aminu Tambuwal who won election into the Senate. Dino Melaye Kogi state Governorship candidate for the November 2nd election was there.
