Atiku Must Learn To Rise Above Petty Politics – Afegbua

Prince Kassim Afegbua, a former Commissioner for Information in Edo state has hailed the the five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP G-5) saying they are the true conscience of the party and their demands for an equitable system is commendable.

Also known as the ‘Integrity Governors’ the G-5 which comprises of Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), are demanding the replacement of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu with a southerner.

The governors had argued that there is a need to to correct the regional imbalance in the PDP since the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Ayu are both from the Northern part of the country.

Speaking in an interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Afegbua who dumped the PDP after Atiku clinched the ticket had always argued that power cannot remain in the North in 2023 after President Muhammadu Buhari must have completed his two terms of eight years.

Now a strong supporter of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC), Afegbua advised Atiku to rise above petty politics and listen to the demands of the G-5 so as to give everybody in the party a sense of belonging.

He said “What is the agitation of the G5 Governors; that there should be political balancing and inclusion, and you feel that is not holistic a request or what? You have presidential candidate, Director General of Campaigns, Director of Operations, National Chairman, all from the Northern part of the country”.

” The G5 Governors are saying, ‘No! , try and balance the structure to speak to inclusivity’, you say no. At times, you will agree in the night, during the day, you will disagree again. You don’t want commitment but you want support, who does that?. When insincerity is the order of the day, you can’t make a head way. It will only create an atmosphere of mutual suspicion”.

“The PDP is divided. The National Working Committee is divided. The Board of Trustees is confused. The NEC is helpless. This 2023 would have been an opportunity to rekindle the fortunes of the party, but those gluttonic, corrupt and dubious chieftains won’t let that happen”.

“I love what the G5 Governors are doing. They are the consciences of a conscienceless political system that is shying away from interrogating issues”.

“It is unfortunate that its candidate, Atiku Abubakar cannot rise above petty politics to embrace a holistic, all- inclusive process that everybody would have a sense of belonging. So unfortunate”.