Caleb Ifeanyi Onah, PBA Journalism Mentee
Former minister of Police Affairs and current member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Adamu Maina Waziri has countered the current permutations that the party is in crisis, either over the chosen running mate or other matters.
Waziri said he was confident that the party would defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) at the 2023 general election.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe one-time Yobe State governorship candidate and a former minster of State in Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources while appearing as guest on the Channels Television Politics Show, said the party is in no distress but only faced by challenges in the form of ripple effects of political decisions, but safer and enjoys some level of political comfort than alleged in some media reports.
Waziri, however, claimed that the party in distress was the ruling party going by their performances so far and their inability to provide a running mate up to the moment.
According to him, further signs that APC is in distress is also found in the legitimate questions about the real age of their presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his name and issues with the U.S Justice Department and his educational qualifications.
Speaking on the need for a reconciliation committee, he said such was an already internal function of the party’s BOT and not a new thing any more.
On the party’s chances in the 2023 presidential election, the PDP chieftain said he strongly believes that the party is going to defeat candidates of the APC, Tinubu, and Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.
He further described the APC presidential candidate as an ailing candidate who needed to be supported by his wife, the national chairman of the party and the president to read his acceptance speech at the party convention.
Waziri alleged that Tinubu is currently in Paris receiving medical treatment and prayed for his speedy recovery to face the 2023 electoral contest.
He said the LP candidate’s current fame is like a varnishing flame, adding that even a merger with former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso won’t give him the presidential seat.
Speaking on River State governor, Nyesome Wike’s distress due to Atiku’s preference for Okowa as the presidential running mate, the PDP BOT member said it was the right of the presidential nominee to pick whoever he wishes as the running mate, adding that it was a matter of two people co-existing together for long to shoulder the great responsibility of building the nation and that, therefore, the processes must not be biased. “Other people can express their views, preferences and choices but it’s left for the presidential candidate to select and announce his choice,” Waziri stated.
Waziri said he coincidentally met Wike in Istanbul but didn’t have enough time to dialogue well as instructed by the party’s presidential nominee, Atiku Abubakar.
He also added that the way forward was to keep on the engagement.
He, however, boasted that Wike was a die-hard member of the party and was never going to compromise grounds, claiming to have known Wike to be a man of his own words and to have declared on the convention ground to support any presidential nominee of the party that wins.
He also debunked claims of Wike serving as the Director General of Atiku Abubaker’s campaign, adding that nevertheless, the Rivers governor will play well if chosen.
He enjoined the traditional media to be partners in progress with political parties in dousing political uproars and tension through thorough and adequate interrogative and investigative journalism.
He also accused the ruling party of deplolyng propaganda machinery adding that the media should stir Nigerians to the issues at stake with their current leadership, issues he said was not in existence ten years ago.
