…As he inaugurates legal team to approach tribunal
Strong indications are beginning to emerge suggesting possibility of high network deal with or without the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a party and presidential power brokers in ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), to woo the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar with access-free presidency come 2023.
But pundits are of the view that such plot will scatter an existing but unwritten South-North rotation of the presidency since 1999, and further present the South East as welcomed in the presidential shots of Nigeria.
Already, Atiku weekend inaugurated a team of intelligent legal luminaries who are experienced in handing electoral tribunal and related court cases to begin build up to the legal fireworks that will greet the tribunal climate very soon. Political analysts say the latest move by the PDP candidate will further weaken the planned deal to give him 2023 seamlessly but at the cost of other regions of the country after all.
From 1999, former President Olusegun Obasanjo (south) took over and handed power over to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (north) in 2003 who left it for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 (south) before President Buhari (north) came in and stayed in the picture till date.
Observers are upbeat that it will be only peaceful and workable if after next four years, power return to the south after all.
The fear is due to regional balance, the PDP may not be willing to present Atiku again in 2023 to avoid confusion and uprising from its core regions which are South East and South South.
Still loading; Business Hilights gathered weekend that the presidential compensation plot according to some political kingpins in the know of the yet nocturnal deal, is one of the strongest cards currently on the table, to persuade the Wakilin Adamawa into resting his deep pocket plan to approach the presidential electoral tribunal in coming days.
Atiku, had even before the completion of result announcement, rejected the entire process calling it a sham. He went ahead to address a world press conference after President Muhammadu Buhari had received certificate of return from the INEC, that has facts and true figures of the election and would release them as and when due which is the tribunal.
However, since after Atiku had sent out the tribunal signal, disquiet has engulfed Nigerian’s political scene and the euphoria that greeted the All Progressive Congress (APC) win, to the extent the top officials of the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalaam Abubakar, has visited Aitku to convince him against going to court.
It was gathered that though Atiku has presented what analysts describe as six-point agenda to President Buhari which include defreezing accounts of top PDP members and release of all party members arrested since 2015 and in the 2019 election crisis and others.
But on Sunday, the General Overseer of the Hour of Mercy Prayer Ministry Worldwide (Alaseyori) Ado Ekiti, Prophet Muyideen Kasali, issued a statement urging Atiku Abubakar, to give presidential contest another trial.
Kasali said the fact that Atiku did not win the 2019 presidential election did not mean he could not win election for the exalted office in future.
The cleric averred that “There is no loser in an election, but a learner. Atiku can still rule Nigeria in no distant future. God sparing our lives, 2023 will soon be here; he can contest again”.
However, the development and how the deal will be structured will redefine the emerging days ahead of nationwide guber elections.
In general, political pundits say the final decision of Atiku ongoing or not going to court will make or mar the longevity of the party known as PDP as there are fears that should Atiku dump electoral tribunal, PDP is dead and buried without chances of resurrection, but otherwise will see the party as very relevant and purposeful ahead of 2023.
