2023: PDP hierarchy mounts pressure on Atiku to drop ambition

The yet-to-be-announced presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is set to face stiff opposition from some influential blocs and individuals within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Although the 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP is yet to formally express his intention to run again for the position in 2023, his foot soldiers and allies have, however, been engaging in aggressive mobilization and campaigns aimed at re-launching his fresh bid across all the geopolitical zones.

It was learnt that the party’s hierarchy and top brass are opposed to the ambition in any form it wants to assume. It was gathered that the opposition to Atiku’s ambition is held on three grounds, namely, age, power shift and the former VP’s abandonment of the party shortly after his defeat in 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The concern has, however, assumed another dimension as some governors elected on the party’s platform are currently divided on the issue of zoning as an instrument of concern heading to the 2023 race.

A source within the party, said “The big wigs in the party and some powerful supporters of the PDP are opposed to Atiku and they have their reasons clearly spelt out. They hinged their decision on age, consequences of zoning arrangement, among others.”

Atiku, who would turn 76 on November 25, is one of the frontrunners aiming to secure the presidential ticket of the main opposition party after failing to defeat the incumbent President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019. It was also learnt that the power brokers in the party, who have become entrenched and influential in the party since its inception, are bent on seeing a clear paradigm shift in the contest for who becomes the PDP flag bearer in 2023.

One of Atiku’s foot soldiers and founder of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and a host of others are vigorously consulting and engaging PDP stakeholders on his behalf. It was learnt that some of the founding fathers of the party are rooting for aspirants in their 60s to avert a repeat of what happened in 2015 after Nigerians elected President Buhari. For instance, some former military leaders are reportedly pushing for a paradigm shift in the party to accommodate younger aspirants. At a recent interaction with members of the strategy and inter-party affairs of the PDP at his Hill Top residence in Minna, former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida said he and other retired military brass constituted the military wing of the PDP.

The former Head of State was also quoted to have said the next president should not be above 70 years, just as former President Olusegun Obasanjo advocated a president with deep knowledge about the economy in the next dispensation.

Also a former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar had advocated a young and more vibrant president to steer the ship of state in the next dispensation. He said that the Nigeria of 2023 and beyond would not need leaders with “walking sticks” but the younger generation to give the leadership a new lease of life.

But a former Acting National Secretary of PDP, Chief Charles Akintoye, said it is Atiku’s fundamental right to seek office of the president irrespective of his age. He believed that age comes with experience and the older a person is the more he/she has more experience.

“It is his fundamental human right to contest if he wishes to and there is no limit to the age of the presidency. It is the only office that is not zoned even if any party zones it. The presidency is not zoned and it can come from anywhere. And to say that Atiku who is still in his 70s should not contest because of age is not right. He is not all that old to contest for office because the Desai of India became Prime Minister at 82,” he said.

The Malaysian Prime Minister now is over 80 years and the man they have selected in Italy recently is over 80 and our own President Buhari is over 70. In fact, there is more maturity in age.”

On his part, another chieftain of the party, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse said using the issue of age against Atiku is diversionary to his capacity and competence. He said the party should consider his state of health rather than his age.

(New Telegraph)