•  PDP moves to outsmart Makinde in Oyo, others

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has activated a plan to win the 2023 election without the support of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike; his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde as well as Governors Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu who are currently at loggerhead with him ahead of the general elections.

Starnews Nigeria reports that the Pro-Wike governors have refused to resolve their disagreement with Atiku, insisting that the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the only condition to work for Atiku and the PDP.

With their decision not to identify with the PDP, Starnews Nigeria gathered that Atiku had decided to carry on with his campaign without them by using some influential PDP stalwarts and the Director – General of the Presidential Campaign Council in the affected states who would work together and set up contact and mobilisation committee for Atiku and the PDP ahead of the general election.

In the southwest, Starnews Nigeria learnt that Atiku will appoint a Zonal Coordinator who has existing influence and relationship with the current structure of the party in the six states as a counter-strategy to reduce the political strength of Gov Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

As part of the counter-strategy, it was gathered, that Atiku and the PDP will work with a Governorship candidate that could tackle Makinde who currently seeks reelection under the PDP with the agreement that if the said Candidate wins, he would come to PDP after the election.

Starnews Nigeria can report that a similar strategy will be replicated against any governor contesting for the Senatorial election while some of them will be prevented from imposing their successors, and other party candidates who are working with them to fail Atiku in their respective states ahead of the election.

“Atiku and the PDP have agreed to move on without the aggrieved governors because they are not ready to shift ground. Already some of them have drawn the battle line with Atiku by openly working for the candidate of the ruling APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. With their behaviours like Emperors, some of them have lost the confidence of their people and the masses.

“Why should Atiku wait for them when they are already working against him? Without the people doing the political groundwork at the various units and across the political wards, these governors are nothing. How many of them come down to work for the party at unit levels? Members and supporters of political parties are the people doing the work at the grassroots level. Apart from financial support, what other roles are these governors playing in the party at the grassroots?

“After God, the power to elect anyone into position belongs to the people. My brother, let me tell you, the people are the reason a King is called a King. Remove the people and the King will be nothing. This may sound strange to you but it is the truth. As far as many of their followers are not with them in the battle against Atiku, these governors are powerless, because the power they rely upon does not belong to them, it belongs to the people, a reliable source who spoke in confidence told Starnews Nigeria on Saturday night.