Doyin Okupe, a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, and Peter Obi’s Campaign Director, has revealed how Atiku Abubakar’s victory was concluded before the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential election.
Recall that Atiku, on Saturday, defeated Wike, Saraki, Udom and others to emerge presidential flagbearer of the PDP.
Reacting on Twitter, Okupe said southern leaders were naive to have believed a southern presidential candidate was certain.
In a series of tweets, he wrote, ”ATIKU’S VICTORY AND THE SUPREMACY OF THE NORTH. Atiku won the PDP presidential primaries on Saturday, the 28th of May 2023. But the assurance of the victory was concluded some 24hrs before the delegates elections.
The main challenger, Nyesom Wike had nearly overran the whole country with massive deployment of resources and had actually overtaken the Crown Prince himself.
”Prior to the advent of the primaries, the North had taken a preemptive strike by installing a loyalist as the National Chairman with ready acquiescence of PDP Southern leaders who believed naively that with that arrangement in place, a southern presidential candidate was a certainty.
The only job of the National Chairman was to cause a flagrant violation of the PDP constitution and ensure a paralysis of the zoning arrangement.
”After this the remaining job, which was completely overlooked by Wike and his powerful clique of serving and former governors, was to cause a late rally of northern delegates which was certain to guarantee victory since the north had a significant numerical advantage over the south
”There was partial compliance but that was enough to tilt the crown towards the forever towering Atiku.
”The motley crowd of southern aspirants present a shameful and near pathetic view. An assembly of self-seeking and self-conceited but nevertheless unwise collection of naive politicians, competing in as minions in a game organized and executed by experts and celebrated master.
My only regret in all these is that southern politicians will always be defeated in this arena till kingdom come because each crop of new leaders assumes that assertion to power is an incontestable evidence of acquisition of knowledge and experience.
”Those who asked Tambuwal to withdraw were not rich people, neither were they serving nor former governors. Those who do not respect the council of elders are often met with failures and shame in their many pursuits.
Once again, the North has triumphed over the folly of their southern counterparts. But let us hope this is not a pyrrhic victory. Only time will tell.”