Only Peter Obi Worries Us, Atiku Cannot Win – APC’s Osita Okechukwu

Ahead of the forthcoming presidential election, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Osita Okechukwu, has said his party is only worried about Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate and not about Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).Okechukwu also said Bola Tinubu, APC’s presidential candidate, has come a long way and knows the country very well to win the 2023 presidential election, among other candidates.

The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria disclosed this on Monday morning while featuring on the Arise Television Morning Show programme.

He said Atiku had lost his base and that he could not harvest Buhari’s 12 million votes.

“As per Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what nobody can deny is that he knows the onion. He knows the gravitas, he knows the country, and he has come a long way. And we are not bothered about PDP; for instance, Atiku has lost his base.

"We are more bothered about Peter Obi and others. Kwankwaso, we know he is qualified and highly capable, but he is riding against the zoning convention. And so, if you tell us about Peter Obi, then we can say, ok, that is where we are worried, but not about Atiku, who has lost his base.

“Atiku cannot win; I challenge those who are saying so. He cannot harvest Buhari’s 12 million votes; he cannot. He does not have Buhari’s vote bank,” he said.

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Chattam House presentation: Musa Adeola commends Tinubu, says his Government will correct Inadequacies in Governance, assure victory for the party comes 2023

The Ondo State Cordinator for patriots of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Musa Adeola has commended the APC presidential candidate, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on is presentation at the London chattam House last week. Engr. Musa Adeola in an interview with our heritage reporter on an online tv programme tagged just politics, anchored by Nifemi Gideon, discharge commendations on Bola Ahmed Tinubu and assures Nigerians that many wrongs in governance will be rewritten if Tinubu becomes the president of Nigeria in 2023

Below are the excerpt form the interview.

Chattam House presentation - how would you describe Bola Ahmed Tinubu delegations of duties to other people.

The chattam House presentation was fantastic, it is a way of signalling that one cannot do it alone as president, there is need to bring together best brains and delegate them for duties , that's exactly what Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu displayed on that presentation day and this is the best way for us as a Nation.

We must commend people like this, who really know how to Source for better material and human resources needed to get the work done.

As claimed by the Presidential candidate of the PDP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, FG developed Lagos not Tinubu, what are your take on this?

It's only a claim and it all necessary in a political season we are presently, then, we must go back to the memory lane to note the fact that Lagos was one of the dirtiest state before 1999.

But when Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerged as Governor there was obvious change, he came up with different Agencies for traffic control, environmental agency and through this, many people was engaged,turned away from thuggery to employed persons and it's also pave way for better and cleaned Lagos free off hooliganism and thuggery.

He was the one who laid the groundwork for the better Lagos we are seeing at the moment, he is a good planner and excecutor, the best which Nigeria as a Nation needs at the moment.

How would you describe Bola Ahmed Tinubu in relation to his age,health status and particularly physical fitness to carry out and function effectively as a president

Age is not a factor here, and in most cases age does not really determine physical fitness of someone, look at the Lagos legislator who died at the plateau State APC rally, how do we classify that incident, do we say he is not fit? or too old? Capital NO.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is physically fit to govern Nigeria, look at his engagement in recent time, moving from one state to another, international engagement with diaspora and many groups outside Nigeria and we are saying he is not fit? Then how do we measure physical fitness?.

Ordinarily it quite unfortunate that we only play politics with many things including someone's life, how would you be thinking that someone will die? For instance, many believe back then that Buhari Will die, look at it today many of those people are gone and Buhari is still alive, only God Almighty owns life, we cannot determine it, therefore Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is more than fit to govern Nigeria.

Democracy is a game of number, we can accept the fact that Northern part of the country have the highest number of register voters, how would you describe this relating to the chance of Bola Ahmed Tinubu wining the election especially when we have a northerner candidate too.

Firstly, we must note that it was the North that made him flag bearer of APC, they came and vote with unity in the party primary, they resolved within themselves that they are making him the president and they did, nothing to share in Zero, the likes of El-Rufai,Ganduje,Lalong and hosts of others cannot sabotage Tinubu for a zero option, because Atiku will retire all of them, and they are still young, they are all available for this project.

Another thing we should note is that, as of today, the Buhari factor is still a household name and a very big factor in the northern states and he is hundred percent in support of Tinubu.

Atiku contested against Buhari in 2019 while Tinubu was available both in 2015 and 2019 to put in all necessary mechanism for his victory, in 2015 I produced more than fifty thousand posters which was sent to every part of the country as my support, I still have some in my Achieve, I gave more than ten thousand copies to the current APC national vice President for South West, Dr kekemeke, he was marvelled.

Inflation here and there, would you accept this as an embroglo that can actually affect APC chances ahead of 2023?

You see, I have continued to mentioned that there is need for more responsibilities for the state, we cannot continue putting all blames to the doorstep of presidency.

Of recent, we heard about the billions given to governor's form the oil producing States, How are this funds used, it's only federal government that have agency on poverty alleviation, no any state in Nigeria have means of alleviating poverty.

More also, what are the functions of local government,in the past local government have tractor which people can hire to plough hectares of land and then we use to have food products in markets in excess, but this day we are best putting blames on the federal government, I said earlier, federal government cannot do it alone, we have to reduce the burdens and more responsibilities should go to states and local government so that they can function optimally.

There is need to redevelop the local government administration in Nigeria, in fact most of the local government chiarman resides out of Thier council areas, they mostly found in the state capital when they ought to stay and live within their areas to really detest the people needs.

The issue of security is another factor, because people can no longer go to Farm again as a result of insecurity, all this thing's are playing negative roles on inflation we are facing today as a Nation, we must tackle issues holistically and stop putting all blames on the federal government.

Fuel queue and problem in recent time is indicating a red flag against your party chances as claimed by many Nigerians, how would you react to this

The truth of the matter is that we need to be sincere, the issue of fuel subsidy should be a thing of the past,take for instance Dangote is building a Refinery who is going to subsidise it? Let Nigerians all agree to forget subsidy.

If you remove subsidy put more money in health development, infrastructure, education we are good to go, during Dr Goodluck Jonathan era some vehicles was given to State at a subsidise rate, and then in Ondo State we used the vehicles for students shuttle, it's brilliant idea , this are the types of things subsidy should be channeled on.

Many of the government owned service should be privatised and this will aid effective management and be more productive.

How would you convenience Nigerians that the APC led government of BAT will be quite different from that of PMB in the areas of job creation, economy recovery and development, security and etcetera?

Sincerely president Buhari has done well, I don't have any regret voting Buhari bother in 2015 and 2019, is it from the area of tackling corruption or infrastructural development in the past almost eight years?

Look at the railways development, look at the second Niger Bridge, the N-power scheme and all other, the present administration performed well compare to the sixteenth years of zero developmental records under PDP.

Despite the shortage and the drastic fall in the price of oil, the COVID and all other negative imposition by climate change, the government was still able to tackle many infrastructural deficits.

Sincerely Buhari has done well, Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is only coming to build on Buhari legacies only the some corrections will made in some certain areas of governance based of his experiences and disposition on governance and economic development.

I would advise Nigerians to believe in there renewed hope vision of Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and to give maximum support come 2023

Musa Adeola concluded.

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Ekiti, Anambra, and Osun states our testimony ahead 2023 election - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to unite and cooperate with one another as a prerequisite for victory in the coming elections.Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement disclosed that Buhari gave the charge when he received Dr Dikko Radda, the governorship candidate of the APC and his running mate, Faruk Lawal Jobe, at his residence in Daura, Katsina State, on Friday.

Buhari said party leaders need “to sit together,” to avoid divisions and ensure unity in order to avoid defeat in elections.

He said he received frequent reports on the ongoing campaigns in Katsina State and felt happy that so much hard work was being put into the exercise.

The president reiterated his determination to allow the reign of free, fair and credible elections in the country, adding that the outcomes in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states were testimonies of that resolution on his part.

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Makeup Your Minds And Vote For Me, Tinubu Tells Undecided Nigerians

Bola Tinubu has asked undecided Nigerians back his presidential bid to lead, maintaining he is the best candidate for the nation.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate said this in an exclusive interview in Channels Television’s London Studio.

“I want to hurry them and appeal to them to get their PVC ready and vote for me. I am not campaigning for any other person but for myself and my party,” the former Lagos State governor said.”That is what I what. If you have not made up your mind, please, do so!”

He also noted that Nigeria has to “work hard” and be consistent with its foreign policy to better the country’s image on the global scene.

According to him, Nigerians “should be the pride of the nation” wherever they are

“The education system is to change. We would overhaul it and tinker with some areas with the philosophy that no one would be left behind,” Tinubu said.

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South West has a lot to benefit in Tinubu's presidency

A chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC) and the National Director, Media and Publicity, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023 Adeboye Adebayo have said Yoruba race has a lot to benefit if the APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is elected. He said the Yoruba nation should look at how they started in the nation's politics, where they are and where they are going to and vote for their kinsmen ahead other contestants.

Speaking in Ibadan at a briefing Adebayo, who is a member of Public Affairs Directorate, APC, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, maintained that the advantage and opportunity Yoruba have in Tinubu must not pass them.

He said they should see Tinubu's presidential ambition as their personal project which must come to reality.

He described the APC candidate as a patriotic Nigerian using his intellectual and financial capacity for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.

"He is a team leader, one of the major trait of a good leader is to identify talents, Nigeria needs competent hands like Tinubu who is a talent Hunter, he deserve to be the president so that Nigeria can have good governance they are seeking for.

"His pedigree and antecedent distinguish him from other candidates, his connection and wealth of experience can not be over emphasised in Nigeria and abroad," he said.

He urged Nigerians to set aside religion or ethnicity and vote for the right person like Tinubu, adding that people should vote for good governance, stability, democracy and renewed hope.

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Nigerian Military Under Pressure To Compromise 2023 Elections – Defence Chief, Irabor

The Nigerian military on Thursday admitted that it is under pressure to compromise the 2023 general elections, while promising that Nigerians can rest assured that the military would remain neutral.The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, disclosed this to journalists at the 61st session of the State House Ministerial Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

According to him, military personnel face pressure through inducements, but the armed forces would remain apolitical as it is taking the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to maintain neutrality.

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Thugs Attack Home Of PDP Chairman

Thugs numbering about 20 on Thursday morning attacked the residence of the chaiman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Rivers State, Senator Lee Maeba.Maeba and several other prominent PDP leaders in the State are supporters of the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

LEADERSHIP gathered that although the thugs could not gain access into the main residence of the former federal lawmaker, his older brother was, however, injured during the attack.Also, no fewer than four vehicles, including a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) were vandalised during the attack.

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18-year-old Elected Mayor Of US Community

An 18-year-old, Jaylen Smith, has been elected the mayor of Earle Arkansas in the United States of America.Smith, who just graduated from high school, won the election with 218 votes, compared to his competitor, Nemi Matthews Sr's 139 and he's being touted as the youngest Black mayor in the US by the American media.

Announcing his victory on Facebook, Smith said, "Citizens of Earle, Arkansas, it’s official!! I am your newly elected Mayor of Earle, Arkansas… “It’s Time to Build a Better Chapter of Earle, Arkansas.” I would like to thank all my supporters for stepping up getting people to the polls. I am truly grateful for you all."Earle Arkansas has a population of under 2,000 people and is situated about 30 miles northwest of Memphis.

In an interview with FOX13 revealed his goals for his town, saying, "First, I want to improve public safety here. Secondly, tear down abandoned houses… transportation here for the community, bring a grocery store here."

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Abuja Court nullifies all PDP primaries

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in that produced candidates for governorship, House of Assembly and National Assembly positions for the 2023 elections in Ebonyi State.Justice Binta Nyako in a judgment delivered, yesterday, ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh congress in Ebonyi State within 14 days for the purpose of electing candidates for next year’s polls. She equally issued an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to monitor the fresh congresses in the state. The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1319/2021 filed by Okoroafor Tochukwu Okorie against the PDP and INEC.

The judge agreed with counsel to the plaintiff, Okoro Nkemakolam that the PDP primaries in Ebonyi State was conducted in flagrant disobedience to the order of the Court of Appeal staying the execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, declaring Joseph Sila Onu as the Ebonyi State Chairman of the party.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court had in a judgment delivered on April 13, 2022, recognised Onu as the authentic chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the PDP.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Okorie through his counsel, Nkemakolam Okoro approached the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment of the lower court.

The appellant followed it up with a motion for stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court which was granted by the appellate court.

Reacting, Onu reinterated that the party’s governorship ticket remained resolved and settled in favour of Dr. Ifeanyi Odii.

He dismissed the judgement, and described it as not enforceable saying the Supreme Court had ruled on the matter in favour of Odii and that no other court in the country could revisit the matter in any form.

“In the category of useless judgments, this one ranks the highest. It is a repetition of what the Court of Appeal unlawfully granted them. Invalidating the actions of a state party chairman does not touch on the conduct of primary election as that is solely the prerogative of the National Executive Committee, not state chairman. So, ignore those celebrating what they do not understand. On Ebonyi State PDP primary election, the Supreme Court has closed that chapter for good – no lower or other court can do otherwise,” he said.

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Lasun Yusuf dumps Peter Obi, joins Atiku

Ex-Deputy Speaker Lasun Yusuf has dumped the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi for the candidate of People's Democratic Party (PDP) Abubakar Atiku.

Yusuf was elected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) before defecting to LP. The 2022 Osun LP governorship candidate has promised Obi to deliver Osun in 2023.

On Wednesday, Yusuf during the PDP presidential campaign in Osogbo capital of Osun State at Freedom Park, the flag of the party was presented by the National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu to the ex-Deputy Speaker.

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Road to 2023: Adeyeri To Loyalists: Please give me more time, I announce my plan soon

A business mogul, Adeyeri Stephen has earnestly implored his loyalists to give him more time to contemplate on the next line of action in his political odyssey, saying plans are afoot, but it must be confined to painstaking logical reasoning before an audacious step can be taken.

The staunch supporters of the former Ondo APC Chieftain had expressed displeasure over their principal's prolonged muteness after dumping the ruling All Progressives Congress a few months back.

Led by a close associate, Mr. Adeolu Igbede, the loyalists who mandated Adeyeri to disclose his political standpoint before 14 days, also advised him to critically explore three options such as —rejoining the APC, rally support for PDP’s candidates in Akoko South West or join the Labour Party.

Adeyeri, however, prevailed on his supporters to keep calm in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, noting that he had set up a think-tank with a view to providing invaluable recommendations on which path to tread ahead of the 2023 general election.

The statement partly read, “I acknowledge the fact that you all are concern about which way to go ahead of the 2023 general election, indeed this is a sheer show of selfless love that shouldn't be fiddle away for any reason”

“It is too worthy to sidestep the atrocious and unruly behaviors exhibited by preposterous naysayers while in our former abode. With all these experiences, it is imperative to meticulously take decisions so as to eschew bitter internecine feud that denied us our divine mandate.

“Please give me more time, I can't just take a unilateral decision that will plunge us off the bridge of politics. After careful cross fertilization of ideas, I will announce my next plan by December 16, 2022”

“I want to thank you all for your firm support from time immemorial, I won't downplay your implicit love. And I assure you that I won't rescind on my strong drive to ensure you enjoy the gains attached to politics, he said.

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2023: APC Has Failed Northerners, Muslim-Muslim Ticket Won’t Work – Shagari

A former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Mukhtar Shagari, has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed Nigerians and its Muslim-Muslim ticket strategy for the 2023 general election won’t get its desired voter turnout in the northern region of the country. “The Christians in this country, especially in the North felt slighted, they felt insulted when APC decided to go with Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

Shagari, a former Minister of Water Resources and member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said if APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu has a Christian wife, Oluremi, it is only okay for to choose a Christian running mate and not a fellow Muslim in the person of former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima.

He described as an insult, the same-faith ticket of the APC, adding that Nigerians and Christians will reject the ruling party in the forthcoming presidential election.

“The APC has failed Nigerians in every aspect you can think of. In every aspect you can think of, APC has failed Nigerians, particularly in the North where people are now kidnapped and ransoms have to be paid and people are now being killed. Lack of employment all over the country and so on.

“They simply think that both the Christians and the Muslims in this country are stupid. So, they decided to come out with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, thinking if they do that, everybody in the North-West, in the North-East and the rest of Nigeria will jump at it but Nigerian people are wiser, they know what they want: they want a government that will change their lives for the better,” Shagari said.

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Chatham House : Tinubu’s performance a National disgrace — Atiku/Okowa Campaign

The Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organisation has mocked the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for what it described as a “pathetic display of vacuity” at the Chatham House, United Kingdom, on Monday.In a release signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, Atiku/Okowa Campaign said, “Nigerians, including supporters of the APC Presidential Candidate, were thoroughly embarrassed to watch Asiwaju Tinubu, who earlier showboated with a scripted speech went blank on the world stage in tragic display of emptiness and inability to personally address questions that were put to him on economy, security and other challenges facing our nation.

“Our Campaign finds it very appalling that a candidate aspiring to be the President of a nation as complex as Nigeria, exhibited an embarrassing inability to coordinate his own thought process to the extent that he could not personally think through issues and address them but had to direct questions put to him including those on his health and policies to others to answer.

“Asiwaju Tinubu has confirmed to Nigerians and the world that he has no business contesting the 2023 Presidential election; that he is grossly incompetent, completely unprepared for leadership and intends to transfer the onerous task of leading our nation to proxies and a cabal that did not seek votes from Nigerians.

 “Of course, Nigerians cannot afford to have a President, who cannot take responsibility to lead but intend to shift burden to others, apparently to find scapegoats to blame for his inevitable failures”.

Atiku/Okowa Campaign said “the APC Presidential Candidate ended up becoming a butt of international joke as he could not provide any lead on the critical issues of economy, security, youth development and foreign policies, despite notes passed to him at the event by his handlers.

“Nigerians can recall that the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign had earlier cautioned Asiwaju Tinubu and his handlers, not to embarrass our nation by exhibiting his constant gaffes on the international stage at Chatham House.

“Our Campaign counsels Asiwaju Tinubu’s handlers to stop embarrassing him by always pushing him to make public appearances, even when they are aware of his many incompetence. What Nigerians expect is for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign to apologize to the nation and stop embarrassing their principal with poorly scripted appearances”.

It said, “now that the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu, has confirmed his unpreparedness and lack of capacity on the world stage, we urge that he should immediately collapse his campaign, stop wasting resources, go home and rest.

“In any case, Nigerians are resolute in their support for the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has continued to exhibit, unparalleled capacity and preparedness for leadership as also witnessed in his Arise TV Town Hall meeting on Monday, where he personally took questions and professionally outlined his policy programs, which touched on realistic solutions to the challenges brought to our nation by the failed All Progressives Congress (APC) administration”.

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2023: I Won’t Vote Any Of Atiku Or Obi If I Am Not Contesting – Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has said that he won’t vote for any of his counterparts if he weren’t contesting the 2023 general elections.

Tinubu specifically said he won’t vote for Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if he weren’t on the ballot.

The former Lagos State governor stated this in an interview with BBC News on Monday shortly after his appearance at the Chatham House in London, the United Kingdom.

Asked if he would vote any of Atiku or Obi if he weren’t contesting, Tinubu said, “None, because they are not as competent as any other person out there. They have no track record, none of them is qualified except me.”

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Atiku’s woes multiply as Wike’s men tighten grip on Rivers

The chances of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar securing votes in Rivers State are growing slimmer.It was gathered that Atiku is distraught by the fact that party leaders who pitched tent with him against Governor Nyesom Wike, are not pulling their weight as expected.

These include former governor Celestine Omehia, as well as other leaders like Austine Opara, Lee Maeba, and Farah Dagogo.

It was learnt that Wike had grown stronger by developing unique strategies to tighten his grip on the party and take all state structures beyond the reach of Atiku and his men.

His continuous campaign for inclusiveness in the national leadership structure of the party and his portrayal of Atiku; the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Atiku’s running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa and other Atiku’s men as betrayers, liars, haters of Rivers and divisive leaders, had been received by many Rivers residents across the political divide.

It was gathered that no campaign for Atiku was ongoing in any part of the state as an attempt to mention the name of the PDP presidential candidate was viewed by many people as an abomination.

It was gathered that Atiku’s pictures had disappeared from all campaign materials of the PDP in the state and anybody found with material projecting Atiku is considered an enemy of Rivers.

Rivers youths across the state including the rural areas daily combed their areas to identify and remove campaign materials in their domains belonging to Atiku and Okowa.

It was found that in the entire state it was unlikely to see any Atiku billboard, posters or other campaign materials unlike in 2019 when Wike supported the Adamawa-born politician.

The recent appointments of 200,000 advisers on polling units and over 300 local government liaison officers by the governor were said to have made any plan by Atiku and his men to penetrate Rivers a herculean task.

Besides, it was observed that all local government chairpersons, ward and unit heads of the PDP had remained loyal to the governor and were backing his political decisions ahead of 2023.

Besides, the perception of the governor as a performer and his use of project inauguration to extract a commitment from folks had made many Rivers communities a no-go area for Atiku’s men.

While campaigns for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Sim Fubara, National and House of Assembly candidates of the party were ongoing with their campaign materials dotting all corners of the state, nothing was being said about Atiku.

All pro-Atiku leaders in Rivers had fled the state and were said to be hiding in Abuja and following Atiku without any plan to return home to campaign for their presidential candidate.

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