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London and Paris have for the past five days been the political centers of presidential candidates and elites ahead of the highly anticipated 2023 general election.
Among the political concerns of their parties, the four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have traveled five days ago to European countries in the hope of getting a better political agreement before the elections.
Since Sunday, the governors have been holding various meetings with the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Labor Party (LP) Peter Obi, in London.
The governors also met former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the former governor of Cross Rivers state, Donald Duke.
The PDP governors are Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo, who has been on holiday in France), Dr Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Samuel Ortom (Benue).
They later co-governed the state of Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintri who led the group that united Atiku.
Although the details of the meeting are still in shape at press time, LEADERSHIP Friday gathered with PDP governors to interact with presidential candidates who are seeking their support for the 2023 election.
This meeting is also a meeting that will continue with the meetings that are running for the position of president in Nigeria.
Wike and his party insisted that the national chairman of the PDP, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, was sacked as part of the peace process, a call by leaders who support Atiku to oppose him, such as the former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
Remember that Wike and his team have recently met with the team of Obi and Atiku in Port Harcourt. Governor Rivers also met three APC governors, namely Babajide Sanwo-olu (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi Ekiti) and Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo).
Although there are no pictures of the PDP governors and Tinubu meeting in London, these governors were seen to be at peace with Atiku and Obasanjo in different European countries.
Wike and his fellow PDP governors were angry when Atiku ignored the ruling Rivers for the position of his successor after the PDP primaries on May 28 which Wike and other contenders won by Atiku.
Atiku ignored the cries of some leaders of the party and chose Delta state governor Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in the election.
Atiku cautioned the BoT members against unguarded speech
In setting the agenda for the London meeting, Atiku yesterday called on all stakeholders of the PDP and its supporters to immediately stop making statements that could undermine the ongoing efforts to strengthen the party and to gather all his leaders.
The former vice president made the call through a press release signed by his media advisor Paul Ibe in Abuja yesterday.
According to the statement, “it is important to appeal to all party members, leaders and anyone involved, connected or associated with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, to desist from making statements that can reduce the optics of the PDP.image as a united political party.
“This appeal is necessary to call on the leaders of the party and the party in the ruling All Progressives Congress which, by creating a false sense of division within the PDP, intends to make the public in Nigeria Ignore the terrible failure. of a government.
“Today, Nigerians are looking to the PDP to take the lead in ousting political parties. People’s expectations are the reason why APC is shocked about their failure in next year’s general election. That is why those in power are manipulating the political system to create a sense of division in the PDP.”
Ibe also said that because the APC knows that they have nothing to campaign on in their record of service in government, they have chosen to play the role of the devil’s advocate, by saying they are divided in the sense that they and PDP.
He therefore told everyone who is really a member of the PDP, and everyone who really wants to be the presidential candidate of the PDP not to fall into the chaos of the APC in making statements that may believe in false claims of division in PDP.
According to him, all the leaders of the party including especially Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and all the PDP governors are united in working for PDP’s victory in next year’s general election across the state.
“What is important in next year’s elections is the future of Nigeria and all leaders and members of the PDP are on the same side with the goal of rescuing Nigeria from the hands of the APC,” he said.
Political Travel Abroad: Western Countries-Experts Can Reshape Nigerian Elections
Nigerian experts in international relations have expressed concern about foreign interference in the election of the president of Nigeria in 2023 due to the trend of Nigerian politicians traveling abroad to hold political conferences.
The country’s media on Wednesday was full of reports of Rivers state governor Nysom Wike meeting with former vice president Atiku Abubakar in London to resolve the chaos that emerged in the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reports also said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, also met with Wike and his associates in London to have a possible alliance before the election.
These meetings have angered Nigerian experts in international diplomacy, who have criticized the meetings outside Nigeria as “irresponsible” as they expose the country more to Western interference and fraud.
The Director, Center for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, told LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday that it was the highest level of “irresponsibility and insensitivity” adding that it shows that Nigerian politicians have no peers. not good all over the world.
“There are no famous people in the world who are willing to do humanitarian work for foreigners except Nigerian politicians. Just look at our economic changes, have there been any changes in the fundamentals of housing? Reforms are always brought about by the West and these politicians are willing to take advantage of the Western powers.
“This is the destruction of the country at the peak of the economic crisis, when every dollar should be saved to revive the companies in our country. Companies are closing for lack of opportunities for forex to buy equipment and these players play dollars.
“How many politicians from Ghana or Benin Republic come to Nigeria to sit and talk? Is there no place in Nigeria where Nigerian words are enough? It shows the irresponsibility of this political party of all parties. This clique has nothing to offer Nigerians, there is no future in this clique, the world is laughing at them.
“One of the accusations leveled against colonial and imperial governments is that the future of Nigeria and other African countries was decided outside of Nigeria. So, what is the difference today between what is happening and what the colonial leaders did?
“It is no longer medical tourism but political tourism. Don’t you see how these people have reduced the rest of us? We are now a laughing stock to the rest of the world. In a place of great economic crisis, poverty and insecurity and In Nigeria, these people have no sense of purpose; they are driven by vanity and cruelty,” he said.
A legal expert on international law, Livingstone Wechie, said that there is a possibility of intervention because Africa and Nigeria are not separated from their aid work to protect the interests of the West that harms Nigeria and Africa.
“There is a view that the West may be participating in some of these ongoing alliances with Western countries. It goes to show that African politicians in Nigeria are still working as slaves to the master,” he said.
He said, however, that the most important thing is that Nigerians should use their PVC to decide their future.
“The Electoral Law has provided many opportunities for citizens to participate in the decision of the results of our elections. Therefore, anyone who does not fulfill the requirements of the citizens will face the risk of being rejected and election,” he said.
Jonathan, Sambo Stress Unity, Word Based Advertising
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the 2023 elections are critical to our nation’s goals, prosperity, and development, urging politicians to remember the unity and stability of our nation. .
He also told politicians to be careful with their campaigns and other political parties.
Jonathan made the call during the annual Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Legacy conference held yesterday in Abuja.
Jonathan also told politicians and Nigerians to be determined to participate in the democratic process and to gather votes for those who will be in charge of the affairs of the country.
“For the rest of us, this time does not give us the luxury of indifference. We must be determined to participate in the democratic process.
In the same vein, former Vice President Nnamdi Sambo has appealed to political aspirants and those involved in various political parties to campaign based on issues as the nation approaches 2023 general election.
Sambo said that the 2022 dialogue of the Ibrahim and Maryam Babangida Presidential Library Foundation linked to the broad theme: ‘What is in the Democratic journey of Africa’ is unique and appropriate, especially as it comes before the process The next election will be held next year. country.
Sambo also said that political stability and democracy in Nigeria is a strategy like stability in Africa’s democratic journey.
The governor of Kaduna state went on to say that since the return to democracy in Nigeria in 1999, the country has had six successful elections which is a clear indication of how democratic the government is. is the best way to govern a country.
While urging Nigerians to actively participate in the electoral process by exercising their constitutional rights, Sambo called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure adequate voter education. limits and adequate preparation for a smooth election.
On his part, former chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, advised Nigerians to rise above divisiveness.
“I have heard conflicting opinions. You need an area. What region? Area of jurisdiction? Is it your turn? To do what? There is a certain self-interest in all the clamor for regionalism or power transfer.
“People need to understand that being a technologist does not make anyone a qualified leader. Leadership skills do not come from the classroom. Being an elected person does not necessarily mean being a technician,” he said.
Explaining Babangida’s virtues, he said, “We cannot say that any leader is competent, some leaders including IBB managed to get some things right, but the leaders who succeeded them left those things.
“Because of this, we have found ourselves turning and competing to cry for Nigeria.
“We don’t understand the fact that insecurity is the result. If we don’t stop the things that cause insecurity, we will keep repeating the same mistakes. If we stick to the system IBB’s study of immigrant education, some of the security challenges that our country faces would not be as complicated as they are.”
In her welcome speech, the convener of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Legacy Dialogue, Aisha Babangida, said that the event brought together some of the most intelligent people in Nigeria to think about the future of the country as Nigerians look forward to the next year’s election. -come.
“Today is an opportunity to build on the success of last year’s first edition of The Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Legacy Dialogue and deliver the ideas discussed there. But more than that, it is an opportunity to build on the great legacy that will continue for democracy in our great nation as we consider the important issues in Africa’s democratic journey,” Babangida said.
Those present were former Vice President Nnamdi Sambo; FCT Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello; Labor Party presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed; and the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, and others.
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