.It’s good for Nigeria-Sen. Abu Ibrahim
.Alliance ‘ll save country from ruling party’s misrule –NCF
.Parley to enhance criminality structure in politics —Sowore
Chigozie Amadi
The Lagos State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC said the meeting of 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would bring no harm to President Bola Tinubu’s reelection come 2027.
The Publicity Secretary of APC in Lagos, Hon Seye Oladejo made the remark in an interview with our correspondent.
Obi had on Monday held a closed-door meeting with Atiku, a move pundits had described as a meeting for possible alliance against 2027 presidential election.
Obi also met separately with a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, a development that sparked speculation about a potential coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obi was a member of the PDP until 2022 when he defected to the Labour Party to pursue his presidential ambition.
He came third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Atiku had blamed Obi’s defection from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.
Political analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes and Obi’s 6,101,533 votes would have secured victory against Tinubu, who garnered 8,794,726 votes.
Monday’s meeting was the first time since after the election that Obi and Atiku would be meeting to public knowledge.
In 2019, both Atiku and Obi ran on the PDP joint ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.
But due to internal conflicts, Obi, who served as Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and contested the 2023 presidential election as the candidate of the Labour Party.
Media adviser to Atiku, Paul Ibe, confirmed that Obi’s meeting with Atiku, saying the duo meeting lasted approximately 20 minutes.
He stated, “Yes, Peter Obi visited Atiku Abubakar. They met for about 20 minutes behind closed doors, so we wouldn’t know what was said, and they didn’t disclose anything to us.
“Since Atiku Abubakar mentioned coalition discussions and such, I believe that both of them must have been engaged in dialogue. And I did mention that they wouldn’t be discussing it in the media. So, they have indeed been in discussions and it is just a matter of those discussions bearing fruit.
“Regarding the coalition talks, perhaps it is already underway. The possibility does exist.”
In his response, the Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, remarked that the meeting had been delayed for too long. He said Nigerians were eagerly anticipating political unity among opposition parties to remove President Tinubu from power in 2027.
Osadolor said, “It’s positive to see these leaders coming together to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 election.
“They will work to save and restore the nation. More of these meetings are necessary to strengthen unity among opposition parties. They must do everything lawfully possible to rescue Nigeria.
“With PDP’s acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, overseeing these developments, I am convinced that the PDP leadership is supporting Atiku, Saraki, and Lamido. Thus, I believe that this rapport aims to unite the PDP and other major groups into a single force capable of not only defeating the APC-led Federal Government but also stabilising the economy and improving Nigeria’s functionality.”
On his part, the chief spokesman of Obi’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, Yunusa Tanko, explained that the closed-door meeting with the PDP bigwigs bordered on discussions on how to rescue the ‘soul of Nigeria’ from the clutch of the ruling APC.
He said, “I am not privy to their meetings. But what you are seeing are some of the long discussions we have had a long time ago. It is part of the discussions and efforts to battle for the soul of Nigeria.
“It is not a surprising thing for Obi to meet some of his political allies to discuss the situation of the country. That is the little that I can say for now.”
On the chances of Obi returning to the PDP or the possibility of a merger between the Labour Party and the PDP, Tanko said such talks would only remain in the realm of speculations.
“Well, not really. Those are the permutations of individuals. I don’t want to dwell on that. But this is still an ongoing discussion. His destination will reveal itself later. Some of these discussions (Obi returning to PDP) are offshoots of what has been happening since the last election.
“We need to wait and see how these discussions pan out. Let’s hope they bring a positive outcome in the long run,” he said.
On his part, the LP National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that the meeting was timely, saying additional meetings had been scheduled to occur.
He stated: “Yes, it was a meeting of like-minded individuals who believe there is a need for better leadership in our nation. They are people who see that Nigerians are suffering, not receiving what they bargained for, and observe corruption persisting in high places while Nigeria’s resources are mismanaged.
“They believe it’s the right time to unite and take action to address the challenges facing Nigeria today. Despite the government being barely a year old, Nigeria is facing difficult times under the APC administration, which seems directionless.
“This meeting is just the beginning; there will be further interactions and gatherings with other individuals. Together, they will brainstorm on how to rescue the nation. The party is fully aware of the meeting and is committed to working hard to achieve something significant for our country.”
Reacting to the development, the Lagos APC spokesman, Oladejo said Obi’s visit might be a move to apologize for denying Atiku what could have been his best chance to win the presidency.
He argued further that APC has nothing to worry about, saying by 2027, President Tinubu’s performance would earn him to win again.
“Your guess is good as mine, Obi probably went there to apologize eventhough there is no public disclosure of his mission.
“He was with Atiku for denying him on what could have been Atiku’s best chance to emerge as the President. Obi’s move to visit his former leader should not pose any worry.
“We are not looking at possible alliance. We are talking about people who are ambitious and will not shit ground for each other
“And even if they form alliance, we are absolutely not worry about that. By the time the next election comes, Nigerians would have seen that they made a good choice for electing President Tinubu to occupy the Villa,” Oladejo stated.
.It’s good for Nigeria-Sen. Abu Ibrahim
Meanwhile, A senator of the Federal Republic, Senator Abu Ibrahim has commended the Labour Party Presidential Candidate Peter Obi for accepting to meet with leaders of other political parties especially Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate despite the disagreement between them.
Sen. Ibrahim said in a telephone interview that consultations and meetings of political leaders across party lines will help the nation grow by reducing conflicts, unnecessary disagreements and acrimony among politicians.
According to Ibrahim, “politicians will always meet to articulate and share experiences on governance and democracy. There is nothing extra-ordinary about the meeting. I believe that the two men were rubbing minds on how to solve the problems of the country. It is good for democracy when politicians meet like this.”
Continuing, he said “the meeting may not be about how to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or the 2027 general election and since no official statement has been issued by them, it is safe to assume that their meeting is for the good of the country.”
When asked to advise political leaders who have become serial aspirants at every election, Sen. Ibrahim said: “Every wise politician should know when age has caught up with them and give the younger generation the space and opportunity to also shine.
“I can use myself as example. When I realised that I can no longer sustain my stay in the Senate, I allowed another person to replace me in the interest of the community,” he concluded.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Comrade Debo Ologunagba said on another telephone interview that it will not be good to pre-empt the party leadership, adding that an official statement will soon be issued by the party on the meeting.
The Labour Party (LP) National Publicity Secretary, 0biora Ofoh did not respond to inquires made through text and did not pick his calls but an online medium quoted the party as saying that it supports the meeting and that it was timely.
Peter Obi held closed-door meetings with the former Vice President and the 2023 PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja on Monday and
also met separately with former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
.Alliance ‘ll save country from ruling party’s misrule –NCF
However, The National Consultative Front (NCFront), a major political group of leading opposition forces in Nigeria, has revealed an ongoing move to unite the major candidates in the 2023 presidential election.
It specifically mentioned former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwakwanso as some of those it was trying to unite to form a new mega movement to save Nigeria from the “misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”.
The group led by Prof. Pat Utomi disclosed this in a statement issued by its national spokesperson, Mallam Hamisu San Turaki on Tuesday.
NCFront commended and applauded the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, for what it described as his “deft political moves to rally leading opposition leaders in the country to engage and challenge the misrule of the country by the ruling APC”.
The group added that Obi’s consultations with Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, and other leading opposition figures in the country had been adopted by NCFront.
According to the group, the strategic consultations are a teaser to the flag-off of a series of activities lined up by a new committee recently set up to facilitate and coordinate the realignment and fusion of leading opposition leaders and forces towards the formation of a new ideology.
It said the realignment and fusion process was expected to throw up an alternative Mega Political Movement for Nigerians by March 2025, adding that it was also expected to prioritise the mobilisation of like-minded political leaders and forces across the country into one ideological mega-political platform irrespective of their political parties.
“To this extent, the question of merger of political parties is relegated to the background as secondary and can only be entertained if it becomes necessary after the formation of the new mega party by like-minded political leaders and groups in the country,” the statement said.
“It is worthy of note that the above modus operandi was adopted at the inaugural meeting of the Committee hosted in Lagos on 6th February, 2024 by Prof Pat Utomi. Members of the Broad-based Realignment and Fusion Implementation Committee include Prof Pat Utomi, Engr Buba Galadima, Senator Shehu Sanni, Amb Mrs Nkoyo Toyo, Barr Ladipo Johnson, Mallam Ibrahim Ali Ansami, Mr Adai Edwin Adai, Obongawan Barbara James, Barr Promise Adewusi, mni, Mrs Chinyere Oforkansi, Mallam Hamisu San Turaki, among others.
“The committee is billed to Flag off the process of its political realignment and intervention next month by hosting major consultative meetings with leading opposition Presidential Candidates in the country, especially Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso.
“This is to be followed by joint national intervention meetings and summit of like-minded political leaders and groups in the country on the state of Nigeria, as a prelude to initiating a broad-based ideological and value-driven political movement and ultra Mega political party to save Nigeria from growing misrule of the APC.”
On the question of who becomes the candidate of the new movement in 2027, the group said that it had already been foreclosed and “will only be discussed and popularly resolved after the formation of the mega movement”.
It added that the leading presidential candidates in the 2023 elections and other political gladiators in the consultations have already decided to jettison their political ambitions for the formation of a formidable opposition movement capable of saving everyone from an imminent national mishap.
“So, national salvation first is the guiding rule of this political intervention of the Nigerian opposition and any individual, no matter highly placed, found pursuing personal political agenda risks expulsion from the movement,” it said.
