Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa of Delta State has lost the Vice President ticket to his Rivers State counter part, Nyesom Wike already. From reliable sources within the People’s Democratic Party PDP, it was gathered that Governor Wike will be running mate to former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
So, Governor Okowa should go and rest.
With due respect to him, he is not so popular in the National politics.
He is a very gentle man, and of course, he is now a Don in Delta State Politics, no doubt.
With what played out in the just concluded primary elections in the oil rich state, from State assembly tickets, to National Assembly ticket and the Governorship ticket, his candidates emerged.
His preferred and alleged annointed Candidate, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, who is the incumbent Speaker of the state assembly defeated the candidates of his predecessors and godfathers (Chief James Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan).
But the fact is, his Excellency, governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa doesn’t have popularity in the South not to talk of whole Nigeria.
He doesn’t play national politics.
And in all sincerity, from the South South Zone, the best belt is Governor Nyesom Wike, he was Former Minister under President Good luck Jonathan before he becomes Governor of the oil rich Rivers State.
In the South East Zone, assuming the former Minority leader of the Senate, Senator Eyinanya Harcout Ababribe is still in PDP, I would have suggested him for South east. Of course, Former Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu has lost his political grip in the zone.
He is no longer powerful in South East politics. He lost in the fight for Governorship primary election in Enugu state, though he didn’t participate in the primary eventually. But that tells you how his Political strength has been reduced.
So, Okowa should maintain his champion in Delta. He do not even have control of South South.
The question maybe why is PDP running from picking Atiku Abubakar running mate from the South East and going to South South?
The answer is; PDP want to return to power, they are eager to return to Aso Villa, and they need those that can win the Presidential election for them.
No doubt, that was why they threw the ticket open to all interest party members, jettison the zoning arrangement idea, and Atiku from the North emerged as the standard bearer of the main opposition party.
Moving forward, Gov. Wike is smart. He knows where things will eventually fall to after the Presidential primary, of course the Vice President will be picked from his region, (South).
So he ran for Presidency, pull a big fight against Atiku.
Some persons in the party frustrated Peter Obi out of the race. According to Obi in his resignation letter, he said he can’t play the money politics.
Obi of the Labour Party was a member of the PDP until a few days before the presidential primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its standard-bearer. Some presidential aspirants like Obi in the PDP had left the race, with one of them describing the scramble for delegates’ votes as “obscenely monetised.”
But Wike made himself a very big force in the South. The party leadership have to visit him immediately, after the primary. What transpired in their discussion, we don’t know.
Now the VP slot is coming to his doorstep.
Because South East can’t bring the bulk votes, compare to South south. Check last presidential election results. The figures are in public domain.
Now, South East have a candidate they are strongly backing (Peter Obi), who is like a religion in the zone now.
So, automatically, PDP know that their votes from S/E will reduce drastically in 2023. People from South East will not vote APC nor PDP. The recent surge at various registration centres in South East and Lagos is a testimony that majority of youths are backing him.
Perhaps, Obi saw the handwriting on the wall. He defected from the PDP to the LP. Being from the South-East where there are agitations over an alleged marginalisation of the zone – a zone that has never produced a president for the country, sentiments from the area have been in Obi’s favour.
Those following Obi’s campaign have also noted the massive youth support he enjoys especially on social media. Though INEC has said virtual support doesn’t count but actually ballot votes.
Several ‘influencers’ are now mobilising for registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards by eligible Nigerians, also in the move to end APC and PDP’s reign.
So it’s politically wise to give the Vice President ticket to South south that is predominantly PDP state. A wise calculation as a politician.
Now, PDP and APC relies on North votes. South south as a back up for PDP, South West as back up for APC.
South East for Peter Obi.
Ohhhh, we should not forget that former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is also a presidential candidate. His NNPP is also gaining weight in the North, especially, Kano and Kebbi states.
I heard many saying Igbo’s won’t vote for Wike, you rather say they will not vote for PDP or Atiku. Many still carry that believe that PDP betrayed Peter Obi.
While some are of the view that the rulling APC betrayed South East as well for not giving them the ticket automatically.
The Igbo feel they deserve automatic ticket to presidency because they feel they have not being President nor Vice President since 1999.
And I agree with that thought. In all sense of fairness to the people of Igbo extraction, they deserve to produce the next Nigeria President in 2023. And it would have been fair if the two dominant political parties (APC & PDP) had zone the ticket to the South East. They have contributed alot to the growth and development of this country. Most importantly, in the area of economy. They are in all parts of the country doing businesses.
But at the same time, we should realize that power is not giving, power is taking. The South East politicians fails to put their eggs in the same basket. Their is no political alignments.
What stops those in same political party to meet and agree to produce one person for the race, and backed him. Even if they do not get the ticket, if the number of votes is not enough to defeat Tinubu, the whole country would have know that truly ‘they made a statement’.
Even almighty Asiwaju Bola Tinubu fought hard for the ticket, he sweat, shake and broke tables, name callings.
He used all available tactics.
So, the Ndigbo political leaders are not really united about the agitation for Igbo presidency, it was just media agitation.
Automatic ticket when the 2023 general elections are going to define the future of this country, if it is going to continue to exist.
Secondly, do the Igbo want Biafra or Presidency now?
I think that is a very big question. May be they want both.
But like I pointed above, they deserve to produce the next president of Nigeria.
In the just concluded presidential primary elections, South East Zone have 288 delegates in the APC primary. Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi got 37 votes,
Former Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Onu got 1, former State minister of Education, Mr Emeka Nwajiuba got 1.
Total= 39 votes for South East Aspirants. Other scored 0. As if they don’t have state or no delegates from their states.
288-39= 249. Where is the remaining 249? They sold it to Tinubu or Ahmed Lawan? And it is same delegates that are saying “Igbo presidency”, it is our turn.
Same thing played out during PDP Primary in May.
About 96-98 delegates are from the South East.
But funny enough, the former Senate President and former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim got 14.
Sam got 1. Where is the remaining votes ? Was it sold to another aspirant? Or a highest dollars or pounds bidder.
I will conclude by saying, now that it’s appears that South East Zone will it get the Vice President ticket, what will be the take of the Ndigbo in the next Government? .
The only hope is for the former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi to emerge as president under the Labour Party (LP).
Owolabi Olayinka Classic
