Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu has dismissed moves by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to reconcile with Governor Nyesom Wike’s G-5 masquerade as belated by headwinds.
The APC chieftain, in a statement at the weekend, described Atiku’s assertion as hallucination and medicine after death.
He said: “It is ridiculous for the former vice president to think the plank of justice of rotation convention meted to PDP’s constitution and the Federal Character Principle of 1999 Constitution will be easily swept under the carpet.”
Okechukwu also argued that it would be unfair and unpatriotic to the south for any northerner to think of presiding after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This is one of the major headwinds that is blocking his puerile reconciliation with Wike’s G5. Atiku is a foremost beneficiary of the rotation convention in 2018, during PDP’s presidential primary in Port Harcourt, which Wike hosted. It’s trite law that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands,” he added.
The Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, has advised the G5 governors not to back down from their position that the party must reflect inclusiveness.
Oba Alao gave the advice while featuring on a radio programme ‘Southwest Political Circuit’ on Fresh 105.9 FM Ibadan, at the weekend.
The governors – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuayi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) – have insisted that the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, must step down for a southerner because Atiku Abubakar, another northerner, won the presidential ticket.
Alao said: “Backing down at this stage will not speak well taking cognizance of what they have gone through. They have sat down more than six times, and they are still sitting down, and nothing has changed. Now probably they just want to lure them with certain offers. But if the party wins, those people will still go back to what they intend to do. Sometimes, some people in Nigeria feel they are larger than life.
“What I stand for is that power must return to the south. Let the next president come from anywhere in southern Nigeria after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari. These governors are saying that power needs to come to the south on the basis of fairness, justice and equity or there should be power sharing to achieve inclusiveness.
“The 17 southern governors agreed that power must return to the south, but some of them betrayed the cause. But we need leaders who will show character…”
